Cyclone Asani: 11 Odisha fishermen stranded in rough seas, rescued | 10 points

Cyclonic storm Asani moving towards the eastern coast bringing along heavy rain is likely to recurve (bend backwards) in a north-northeastward direction on reaching near the shore and would not cross Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, or West Bengal, ANI reported. As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), it will turn into a cyclonic storm after coming close to northern coast of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

The coast guard and NDRF personnel are on their toes to deal with any situation. The fishermen have been asked not to venture out in the sea. As states including Odisha, Bengal and Andhra Pradesh brace for the storm, here are the top ten developments.

1. According to IMD director general Mrityunjay Mohapatra, cyclone Asani won't make a landfall either in Odisha or Andhra Pradesh but will move parallel to the eastern coast and cause downpour.

2. The IMD director general said that the system which lay about 500 kilometres southeast of Visakhapatnam and 650 kilometres south of Puri in the morning on Monday, was now moving in a north-westward direction with a sustained surface wind speed of 100-110 kilometres per hour increasing to 120 kph.

3. A team of 37 personnel from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) is already in Bhadrak where heavy rainfall had begun. The team is deployed to rescue people in case of an adverse situation.

4. Besides Odisha, rainfall occurred in West Bengal during the day. The coastal areas of Odisha and adjoining areas of northern coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Bengal may receive rainfall from Tuesday evening.

5. The weather department has advised the suspension of tourism activities in coastal areas and sea beaches till May 13. Distant warning signal 2 asking ships not to come near the coast has been hoisted across all the ports in Odisha.

6. As per reports, cyclone Asani is likely to cause heavy rains in southern Bengal across Kolkata, Howrah, Purba Medinipur, North and South 24 Parganas and Nadia between Monday and Thursday.

7. The Visakhapatnam port has suspended its operations from Monday, Reuters reported.

8. At least 11 fishermen from Odisha who were stranded for more than eight hours due to rough sea were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard. They had gone to Viasakhapatnam on May 7 to buy a fishing boat and while returning home, were stuck in the sea around 4-5 kilometres off the coast near Sonaput in Ganjam district.

9. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has rescheduled her visits to Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur by a week due to Cyclone Asani alert.10. The Met Department in Ranchi has predicted that Jharkhand will experience light to moderate rainfall besides lightning and thunderstorm in its southern, central and northeast parts from May 11 to 13.

(With PTI, ANI inputs)