Cyclone Asani may hit Andhra Pradesh coast near Antarvedi in few hours

Amaravati, May 11: Asani, which weakened from a severe cyclone into a cyclone in Bay of Bengal on Wednesday afternoon and lay 40 km southeast of Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, is expected to cross the coast near Antarvedi in a few hours, the State Disaster Management Authority said.

By late evening, Asani is expected to weaken further into a depression and drift back into the sea close to Yanam, the SDMA said.

While moderate to heavy rains were likely to continue in the coastal districts, winds with a speed ranging from 60-80 kmph were forecast along the Bay of Bengal coast. Rainfall ranging from 1 cm to 6.5 cm was recorded at different places in the coastal districts from Srikakulam to Bapatla since Tuesday, authorities here said.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted a videoconference with Collectors of coastal districts and reviewed the situation.

He asked the administration to be on high alert and fully geared up to meet any emergency. "Focus should be on preventing loss of lives," he added.