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Indian Coast Guard personnel are on standby with relief materials to meet any contingency as Cyclone 'Asani' is predicted to make landfall between North Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha coast on May 11, in Visakhapatnam on Monday, May 9, 2022. Image Credit: ANI

New Delhi: India’s Visakhapatnam port will suspend operations from Monday, according to an official order, as severe cyclonic storm Asani is expected to reach the port city by Tuesday.

Cyclone Asani, which formed over the southeast Bay of Bengal, intensified into a severe cyclonic storm on Sunday, as it moved towards the southern state of Andhra Pradesh and the eastern state of Odisha.

The Severe Cyclonic Storm Asani, over the west-central and adjoining south Bay of Bengal, moved northwestwards with a speed of 16 kmph through the morning and lay centered over west-central Bay of Bengal at around noon on Monday.

“It is very likely to move northwestwards till Tuesday and reach west-central and adjoining north-west Bay of Bengal, off North Andhra Pradesh & Odisha coasts. Thereafter, it is very likely to re-curve north-north-eastwards and move towards north-west Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast,” the IMD said, adding, “It is likely to weaken gradually into a Cyclonic Storm during the next 36 hours.”

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People hold umbrellas to protect themselves from rain due to the effect of the severe cyclonic storm 'Asani', in Kolkata on Monday, May 9, 2022. Image Credit: Utpal Sarkar

The approaching Asani has brought rainfall at a few places over coastal Andhra Pradesh on Monday, the IMD said and warned that light to moderate rainfall at a few places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday and heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Odisha from Tuesday evening.

Light to moderate rainfall at a few places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is also likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Odisha & adjoining coastal West Bengal on May 11 while May 12 would see light to moderate rainfall likely at a few places with heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal.

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Frequent alerts against venturing out to sea are being issued for the safety of country boats and dinghies from ROS (V) and ICG ships at sea as Cyclone 'Asani' is predicted to make landfall between North Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha coast on May 11, in Visakhapatnam on Monday, May 9, 2022. Image Credit: ANI

The IMD has also predicted gale wind on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday while for Tuesday onwards, it has also warned of squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph likely along and off north Andhra Pradesh coast on May 10; along Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast on May 11 and along Odisha and West Bengal coast on May 12.

Total suspension of fishing operations over west-central Bay of Bengal from Monday till May 11 and over northwest Bay of Bengal from May 10 to 12, the IMD advisory said, and warned fishermen not to venture into west-central Bay of Bengal on May 9 to 11 and into north-west Bay of Bengal during May 10 to 12.