Cyclone Asani further weakens into well-marked low pressure area; Odisha, Bengal heave sigh of relief

Bhubaneswar, May 12: Cyclone Asani, which had turned into a deep depression over coastal Andhra Pradesh, has further weakened to a depression, the IMD said on Thursday, forecasting light to moderate rain in some districts of Odisha and West Bengal.

The weather system remained practically stationary during the last six hours and weakened to a depression, and is likely to turn into a well-marked low pressure area during the next 12 hours, it said in a bulletin.

Isolated places in coastal Andhra Pradesh could receive heavy rainfall during the next 24 hours, the weather office said. It has forecast light to moderate rain or thundershower in some areas of Odisha from 8.30 am on Thursday to 8.30 am on Friday.

In last 24 hours, Baripada (Mayurbhanj district) received the highest rainfall at 50 mm, followed by Anandapur in Keonjhar (44.2 mm) and Sorada in Ganjam (37.2 mm), the Met Department said. It also said sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough over westcentral and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours and improve thereafter.

Fishing operations have been totally suspended over westcentral Bay of Bengal and northwest Bay of Bengal for the next 12 hours.

The weatherman has been monitoring the cyclonic storm since the first signs of Asani's formation emerged last week.

It has issued 30 national bulletins since May 7, predicting the track of the cyclone and alerting civic administrations about the possible damage it could cause.