New Delhi: The severe cyclonic storm Asani may not make landfall on Andhra Pradesh coast as it is likely to weaken into a cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours, the IMD said, while warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at some places in north coastal Andhra for the next two days. The cyclone The severe cyclonic storm Asani may not make landfall on Andhra Pradesh coast as it is likely to weaken into a cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours, the IMD said, while warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at some places in north coastal Andhra for the next two days.

Several flights arriving in Vishakapatnam from Kurnool,Hyderabad and Bengaluru were sent back due to the bad weather. All flight services from the city were halted as a precautionary measure. Cyclone warnoing centre Duty officer, Kumar said , ” Severe cyclonic storm Asani is over the west-central region & adjoining the southwest region of the Bay of Bengal. It is 330km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam, likely to move further northwest till tonight, thereafter it’ll recurve.”

As the cyclone is nearing the coast, Odisha’s Ganjam Administration has announced the closure of all sea beaches in Ganjam including the Gopalpur Sea Beach for today and tomorrow. At least 11 fishermen from Odisha, who were stranded for around eight hours in the rough sea due to the raging severe cyclone ‘Asani’, were rescued on Monday with help of the Indian Coast Guard, an official said.