Cyclone Asani: NDRF on alert as cyclonic storm intensify into deep depression

Cyclone Asani, the first cyclonic storm of 2022 is all set to hit the Indian shore and make heavy landfall on the eastern coast of India in the next 12 hours, alerts the India Meteorological Department on Sunday evening. According to the weather tracking body, a depression is intensifying over the southeast Bay of Bengal with wind speeds of about 70-80 kmph pushing to 90 kmph.

In a tweet today evening, the weather agency said, “Depression over southeast of the Bay of Bengal near latitude 10.9°N and longitude 93.2°E, about 200 km north-northeast of Car Nicobar (Nicobar Islands), 100 km south-southeast of Port Blair (Andaman Islands). To intensify into a deep depression in the next 12 hours and into a cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours.

Hundreds of civilians were evacuated from the Andaman and Nicobar coastal region, local officials said. The National Disaster Response Force personnel has been deployed at different places will all necessary equipment to carry out search and rescue operations in case the cyclonic landfall causes massive destruction of life and property.,

The met department has earlier predicted that depression over southeast of Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea lay centred near 10.4°N/92.8°E, about 140 km north of Car Nicobar, 140 km south of Port Blair. Indian coast guard ships having been deployed at the Andamans to shepherd the fishermen put of the sea and issue warnings to not venture into sea ahead of the cyclone.

The low-pressure area is likely to intensify to cyclonic storm by March 21. Ministry of Home Affairs too in its official statement has informed that one National Disaster Response Force has been deployed in Port Blair and additional teams are being made read to aiarlift if required. Local administration has suspended the inter-island shipping services as well as those coming from Chennai and Vishakhapatnam.

As per the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), it is necessary to name tropical cyclones because there can be more than one such system operating in a particular zone. The name Cyclone Asani was suggested by Sri Lanka.

On Monday, most places of the Union Territory of Andaman will witness rainfall and thundershower and heavy rainfall in isolated places.
The Union Home Secretary has directed Ministries and agencies involved in the matter to keep regular watch to ensure safety of all citizens . On March 18, Chief Secretary Jitendra Narain also asked to review UT Level preparations to face Cyclone Asani.