Depression over Bay of Bengal to form Cyclone Asani tomorrow: IMD

New Delhi: Clouds loom over parts of Kerala with sporadic rains being reported from certain places in the early morning onwards.

Meanwhile a low-pressure systems is at work in South East Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Andaman Sea, according to Indian Express.

The report sourcing information from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) says the depression is likely to work up into a cyclone. If it landfalls, it will be called Asani, a name given by Sri Lanka.

Asani could be the first to form in March since 2000 in the North Indian Ocean region.

IMD forecasts the system to head north-eastwards crossing to over to the north Myanmar and southeast Bangladesh coasts on March 22.

The IMD has also predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in a few places over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with isolated extremely heavy rainfall likely over the Nicobar Islands.

Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of IMD told Indian Express that cyclones in the North Indian Ocean were not rare but perhaps a few in number. IMD chief put the wind speed between 70-80 km/ hr.

As the pressure system is gathering momentum, heavy to very heavy rainfall has been predicted over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands till Tuesday.

The sea could go very rough from squalling winds picking speed between 55 and 65 km/hr ( reaching 75 km/hr) in places including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, southeast Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.

Authorities have warned fishermen against venturing into the deep sea till Tuesday.