Cyclone Asani Weakens Into Deep Depression; Rainfall Likely Over Coastal Andhra, Odisha, Bengal

Cyclone Asani which made landfall in coastal Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday night has weakened into a depression over the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said early Thursday.

Light to moderate rainfall is likely at many places with heavy rainfall at isolated places likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.

Light to moderate rainfall are also likely at a few places over coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal today.

"Deep Depression over coastal Andhra Pradesh remained practically stationary during the last six hours and weakened into a depression over the same region," the IMD said.

Early this morning movement of vehicular traffic was affected Kakinada -Uppada Beach Road as the road was damaged due to strong winds and heavy rains as an impact of cyclone Asani. Police said that restoration work will begin soon.

According to the weather forecaster, the depression lay centered at 11.30 PM on Wednesday over the region, close to West of Andhra's Machilipatnam and is likely to hover around the same region and will further weaken into a "Well Marked Low-Pressure Area" by Thursday morning.

The IMD said in an early morning bulletin on Thursday that Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph will prevail around the system centre and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours. Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely to prevail along and off the districts of Krishna, East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh and Yanam of Puducherry.

Also squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely to prevail along and off adjoining districts of coastal Andhra Pradesh during the same period.

Similarly, squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely to prevail off Odisha coast during next 12 hours, the IMD bulletin said.

Yesterday, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting via video conference with Collectors, SPs, and other senior officials on the action to be taken in the districts affected by the Asani cyclone.
In the Krishna District District Collector Ranjit Basha, District SP Siddharth Kaushal and Joint Collector Mahesh Kumar later visited cyclone-hit areas along with National Disaster Relief teams.

The CM also announced financial assistance of Rs 1000 to be distributed per person at the time of leaving rehabilitation camps for home and it should be at least Rs 2,000 per family.