Beach guards urge people not to go near the sea, during Cyclone Asani in the Bay of Bengal, at Puri beach, Monday, May 9, 2022. (PTI Photo)
Whenever a cyclone hits a country, the first thing that strikes the minds of most is what these names mean. In 2000, a group of nations called WMO/ESCAP (World Meteorological Organisation/United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific), which comprised Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand, decided to start naming cyclones in the region. After each country sent in suggestions, the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) finalised the list.
The WMO/ESCAP expanded to include five more countries in 2018 — Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
The list of 169 cyclone names released by IMD in April 2020 were provided by these countries — 13 suggestions from each of the 13 countries.
Adopting names for cyclones makes it easier for people to remember, as opposed to numbers and technical terms. Apart from the general public, it also helps the scientific community, the media, disaster managers etc. With a name, it is also easy to identify individual cyclones, create awareness of its development, rapidly disseminate warnings to increase community preparedness and remove confusion where there are multiple cyclonic systems over a region.
Super cyclones in India, Bangladesh: numbers exposed to severe flooding projected to rise hugely
A new study has found that super cyclones are likely to have a much more devastating impact on people in South Asia in future years. The paper was published in the Royal Meteorological Society journal Climate Resilience and Sustainability on Monday — a day when the India Meteorological Department was tracking Asani, classified as a severe cyclonic storm and predicted to weaken into a cyclone.
The research, led by the University of Bristol and including scientists from Bangladesh, looked at the 2020 Super Cyclone Amphan, the most costly cyclone to have made landfall in South Asia. They projected its consequences in different scenarios of sea level rise due to global warming.
The ‘Extremely Severe’ cyclone Fani and ‘Super cyclone’ Amphan wreaked havoc in Odisha and West Bengal respectively. Cyclone Asani by contrast, is expected to only graze the coast, and not make landfall. Its anticipated recurving behaviour upon reaching close to the south Odisha coast will likely be similar to that of cyclone Jawad, even though Asani’s track does not match with that of Jawad’s, which was formed in the Bay of Bengal last December.
Boats parked on the shore by fishermen as part of precautionary measures for Cyclone Asani. (PTI Photo)
The weather system has weakened into a well-marked low pressure area. The India Meteorological Department says it will further weaken into a low pressure area by the end of the day.
The IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall at many places, and heavy rainfall at isolated places in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. Coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal, too, are likely to receive rainfall. In the next 12 hours, squally winds are likely to prevail in Krishna, East and West Godavari districts, and Yanam in Puducherry. Sea conditions will be rough, and fishing activities remain suspended.
Cyclone Asani has weakened into a depression over coastal Andhra Pradesh. The weather system has remained “practically stationary” in the 6 hours till 5.30 am, and lies west of Machilipatnam, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
A strange-looking gold colour-coated chariot came afloat to the Bay of Bengal coast near Santabommali in this north coastal Andhra district on Wednesday morning, leaving the locals in awe. The sea is currently rough because of the cyclonic storm Asani and this possibly caused the chariot to float adrift.
Cyclonic storm Asani is expected to move north-northeastwards and reach around Narsapur coast during next six hours. It would then move along Yanam, Kakinada and Tuni coasts and emerge into westcentral Bay of Bengal off north Andhra coast by tomorrow.
Asani has weakened from a severe cyclone into a cyclone in Bay of Bengal today afternoon and lay 40 km southeast of Machilipatnam in Andhra. By late evening, it is expected to weaken further into a depression and drift back into the sea.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has conducted a videoconference with the collectors of coastal districts and reviewed the situation, according to news agency PTI. Reddy has asked officials to be on high alert and ensure they are geared up to meet any emergency. “Focus should be on preventing loss of lives,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
Asani has weakened from a 'severe cyclonic storm' to a 'cyclonic storm', the IMD has said. It lies about 40 km southeast of Machilipatnam, 140 km southwest of Kakinada, and 280 km southwest of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh; and 520 km southwest of Gopalpur and 630 km southwest of Puri in Odisha. The cyclone is expected to further weaken into a depression by tomorrow morning.
A 'red' alert, warning of very heavy rainfall, was issued for parts of coastal Andhra, including Guntur and Krishna, while a 'yellow' alert was sounded for Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Godavari districts. As per the IMD, the amount of rainfall (in cm) recorded so far is:
Rayalaseema:
- YSR: Duvvur (11), Chepad (11), Cuddapah (11)
Coastal Andhra Pradesh:
- Vishakhapattnam: Narsipattnam (7),
- Nellore: Kavali (7)
- Parkasam: Kandukur (7)
- Guntur: Bapatla (7)
- Viziyanagram: Mentada (7), Pusapatrega (7), Gantyada (7)
A 'red' alert has been issued in Guntur and Krishna districts of coastal Andhra, warning of very heavy rainfall. A 'yellow' alert has been sounded in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Godavari districts.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu will receive more rainfall today under the influence of Cyclone Asani. The two states have been witnessing moderate to heavy rainfall since Tuesday. Meanwhile, central Maharashtra and southern Konkam will witness cloudy sky conditions today and tomorrow, but chances of rainfall have been ruled out.
To answer this question, we have to go back to the year 2000, when a group of nations called WMO/ESCAP (World Meteorological Organisation/United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific), which comprises Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand, decided to start naming cyclones in the region. Each country sent in suggestions, which are used in rotation.
Cyclone Asani has been named by Sri Lanka, and means 'wrath' in Sinhalese. Read more here.
In this table below, the IMD has details the position, intensity and forecast for Cyclone Asani. Take a look:
Cyclone Asani, categorised as a ‘severe cyclonic storm’, is expected to gradually weaken into a ‘cyclonic storm’ today. It will become a depression by Thursday morning, the IMD has said.
Cyclone Asani is likely to come near the coast of Andhra Pradesh today. It is unlikely, however, to make landfall, and could slowly recurve north-northeastwards and move along Machilipatnam, Narsapur, Yanam, Kakinada, Tuni and Visakhapatnam coasts and emerge into westcentral Bay of Bengal by this evening. Then, it is likely to move northeastwards towards northwest Bay of Bengal, the IMD has said in its latest update.
In this trajectory put out by the IMD, the red dots show a forecasted track while the green is a cone of uncertainty.
The cyclonic storm Asani is currently moving in a "cone of uncertainty" over west-central Bay of Bengal and is expected to cross the coast anywhere between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday evening.
Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management) G Sai Prasad said they were constantly monitoring the path of the cyclone and, accordingly, issuing alerts to the respective district administration.
"We have already sent nine teams each of National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force to the coastal districts for emergency operations," the Special Chief Secretary said. (PTI)
The maximum temperature in Delhi dropped below the 40-degree mark on Tuesday as moisture-carrying easterly winds prevailed in the capital under the impact of severe cyclone Asani.
No heatwave is predicted for the next two days, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The Met office had earlier predicted a heatwave spell from Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 44 degrees Celsius.
In a revised forecast, it said the maximum temperature will settle around 40 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and 42 degrees Celsius on Thursday.
On Tuesday, the Safdarjung observatory, Delhi's base station, recorded a maximum temperature of 39.5 degrees Celsius, a normal for this time of the year. The minimum temperature settled at 28 degrees Celsius. (PTI)
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday reviewed preparedness for severe cyclone Asani, which is moving over Bay of Bengal, off Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts, where rescue troops were deployed for assistance of civilians, officials said.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed nine teams and kept seven more teams on standby in Andhra Pradesh while one team has been deployed and 17 units are on standby in Odisha.
As many as 12 teams were deployed and five teams were on standby in West Bengal while additional teams are also in readiness if required.
"The union home secretary today reviewed preparedness of central ministries, agencies and administrations of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in view of cyclone 'Asani' in Bay of Bengal," a home ministry spokesperson said. (PTI)
The Indian Navy’s Eastern Command at Visakhapatnam is preparing to provide assistance in the event that severe cyclonic storm Asani makes landfall on May 11, a statement from the Navy said, adding that the cyclone is likely to move close to the coast of north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha in the next 24 hours.
The headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command and naval officers in charge in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha areas have carried out preparatory activities to deal with the effects of the severe cyclone and are in constant liaison with the respective state administrations for rendering assistance as required, the statement said.
As part of the preparedness, 19 flood relief teams and six diving teams, along with Gemini craft and associated gears, are on standby at Visakhapatnam for rendering assistance to civil authorities. Five Indian Navy ships are on standby with relief material, diving and medical teams to render assistance in the most affected areas along the coast of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, it added. Read more
Severe cyclone Asani neared the east coast, packing gale-force winds up to 105 kmph, amid indication of gradual weakening on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The cyclone, which was moving at 5 kmph in the morning, gained speed to 25 kmph later in the day, as it lays centered around 210 km south-southeast of Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh and 530 km south-southwest of Gopalpur in Odisha, according to the latest bulletin issued at 4.30 PM.
The system is expected to recurve on Tuesday evening and move parallel to the coast in the north-northeast direction. IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said that cyclone Asani has already achieved maximum stage of intensification and is gradually getting weakened. (PTI)
As per IMD predictions, severe cyclonic storm Asani centered at 11.30am today about 210km from Kakinada and 310 from Visakhapatnam.
It will reach close to Kakinada and Visakhapatnam coasts by May 11 morning and move along Andhra Pradesh coast and weaken into a Cyclonic Storm.
v
Severe cyclone Asani neared the east coast, packing gale-force winds up to 105 kmph, amid an indication of gradual weakening on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The cyclone, which was moving at a speed of 25 kmph on Monday, has slowed down to 5 kmph as it lays centered around 300 km southeast of Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh and 510 km south-southwest of Gopalpur in Odisha.
The system is expected to recurve on Tuesday night and move parallel to the coast in the north-northeast direction.
"The severe cyclonic storm has already started losing steam and it will further weaken into a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours as it nears the coast and makes the recurve," Bhubaneswar Regional Meteorological Centre Director H R Biswas said. (PTI)
Indian Meterological Department (IMD) predicts heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places with isolated and extremely heavy falls over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rainfall over isolated places in coastal Odisha from May 10 night.
In a 1 pm update, the India Meteorological Department has provided rainfall data (in cm) for parts of Odisha, Assam and Manipur, which have received isolated heavy rains.
The National Disaster Management Authority has issued the following guidelines in order to prepare for and stay safe during and after the cyclone:
Before cyclone:
During the cyclone, if you are indoors:
After the cyclone:
In its latest update, the IMD has said Cyclone Asani has moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph, and lay centered at 8.30 am over westcentral Bay of Bengal, 260 km southeast of Kakinada, 300 km south of Visakhapatnam, 490 km south-southwest of Gopalpur, and 570 km south-southwest of Puri.
Cyclone Asani, which formed in the Bay of Bengal, brought rainfall to parts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, on Tuesday. The overcast skies and cool winds brought much relief from the scorching heat. Till 5.30 am, the rainfall data (in mm) was: Chennai’s Meenambakkam (3), Nungambakkam (3); Karaikal (0.2); Salem (1); Tiruchirapall (0.9); Cuddalore (3); and Puducherry (0.8). Read more here
Cyclone Asani is likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move towards the northwest Bay of Bengal off North Andhra and Odisha coasts. Its forecasted track is shown by the red dots.
There will be total suspension of fishing operations over westcentral and adjoining Bay of Bengal on May 10 and 11, and over northwest Bay of Bengal till May 12. Fisherfolk have been advised not to venture into the sea. Those out at sea are advised to return to the coast.
Due to Cyclone Asani, coast Andhra Pradesh is likely to receive light to moderate rainfall at a few places, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places. Odisha is likely to see heavy rainfall at isolated places from this evening.
Cyclone Asani is unlikely to make landfall, and is expected to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours. Here's a table put out by the India Meteorological Department, showing its position, intensity and category:
Good morning and welcome to our live blog on Cyclone Asani. The weather system, which developed over southeast regions of Bay of Bengal, intensified into a 'severe cyclone storm' on Monday. At 5.30 am Tuesday, it lay some 300 km southeast of Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, 330 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 510 km south-southwest of Gopalpur in Odisha, and 590 km south-southwest of Puri in Odisha.