As Cyclone Asani intensifies, rain, strong winds likely in 3 Indian states

Severe cyclonic storm Asani over Southeast and adjoining Westcentral Bay of Bengal is likely to move northwestwards till May 10 and reach Westcentral and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast in India, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Asani intensified into a severe cyclonic storm at 5pm IST on Sunday over Southeast Bay of Bengal, about 610km northwest of Car Nicobar (Nicobar Islands).

IMD officials have said that Asani, which means 'wrath' in Sinhala, one of the official languages of Sri Lanka, would not make landfall on the Andhra-Odisha coast and is likely to miss the coast by 100 km. The Met department has predicted light to moderate rainfall from Tuesday evening at many places over districts of coastal Odisha and heavy rainfall (7 -11cm) at one or two places over the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, and Puri.

The severe cyclonic storm will bring light to moderate rainfall at a few places with heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over adjoining areas of north coastal Andhra Pradesh from May 10 evening. Light to moderate rainfall at a few places with heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Odisha and adjoining coastal areas of north Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal on Wednesday, May 11.

On Thursday, light to moderate rainfall likely at a few places with heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over the coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal.

"Fairly widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall with thunderstorm/lightning/gusty winds very likely over Northeast India during next 5 days. Isolated heavy falls very likely over Arunachal Pradesh during 10th-12th and over Assam-Meghalaya & Mizoram-Tripura during 09th-12th May," IMD said in a rainfall warning," IMD said in its rainfall warning for Northeast India.