Don’t venture into sea: IMD warns as cyclone threat looms over Andhra-Odisha coast

Mangalore Today News Network

Bhubaneswar, May 07, 2022: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) sounded alert and advised people on Saturday to follow traffic advisories in view of the formation of a low-pressure area over the South Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal.

 

The low-pressure area is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Sunday evening. It is likely to continue to move northwestwards and reach west-central Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh-Odisha shores coasts by next week.

In case, a cyclone is formed, it will be named "Asani".

The low-pressure area is very likely to move north-westwards and intensify into a depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal, and into a cyclonic storm over the east-central Bay of Bengal, IMD Director-General Mrutunjay Mohapatra was quoted by PTI as saying.

"We have not yet made any forecast on where it will make landfall. We have also not mentioned anything on the possible wind speed during the landfall," Mrutunjay Mohapatra said.

"The IMD can give details of the cyclone, its wind speed, landfall location only after the formation of the depression on May 7. As the sea condition may be rough from May 9, fishermen should not venture out," Mrutunjay Mohapatra said.

The IMD said heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur over Andaman and Nicobar Islands on May 6 and May 7.

In Odisha, heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely on May 10. The Odisha government said disaster response and fire services teams were kept on standby following the forecast.

Wind speed reaching 55-65 km per hour (kmph) gusting to 75 km per hour is likely to prevail over Southeast and adjoining eastcentral Bay of Bengal on Sunday. It is likely to increase, becoming gale wind speeding, upto 65-75 gusting to 85 km per hour over the same region.

"[On] 9th May, Gale wind speed reaching 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph is likely to prevail over central parts of Bay of Bengal," the IMD said in its notice.

On May 10, "Gale wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph is likely to prevail over Westcentral and adjoining Northwest and eastcentral Bay of Bengal".

"We have estimated that the wind speed of the cyclonic storm will remain at 80-90 kmph in the sea," Mohapatra said.

The sea condition is very likely to become rough to very rough over Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal on Saturday and Sunday.

The IMD issued a warning to fishermen, advising them not to venture into Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal till Sunday, and into the central parts of Bay of Bengal on Monday and Tuesday.

The fishermen who are out in the sea are advised to return to the coast.

The IMD also advised people to check for traffic congestion on routes before leaving for destinations and follow any traffic advisories issued in this regard.

The weather department said people should avoid going to areas that face waterlogging problems.

"Avoid staying in vulnerable structure. Regulate off-shore activities. The system is under continuous surveillance...," the IMD said on Saturday.

Courtesy: India Today