First cyclone in 2022, Cyclone Asani, likely to hit Andaman Nicobar on March 21

On March 21, Cyclone Asani, the first cyclone of 2022, is expected to hit Andhaman and Nicobar. It will move on to Bangladesh and Myanmar after reaching the Andaman Islands. A low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal’s Southeast region is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm by March 21.

At 8.30 a.m. on Thursday, March 17, the low pressure area over central parts of the south Bay of Bengal moved east­-northeast and was centered over the southeast Bay of Bengal and the adjoining east equatorial Indian Ocean. It is expected to continue moving east-northeast, form a well-defined low-pressure area, and lie over the southeast Bay of Bengal and the adjoining south Andaman Sea by Saturday morning on March 19.

It will then move nearly northwards along and off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, intensifying into a depression by March 20 morning and evolving into a cyclonic storm on March 21. Following that, it is expected to move almost north-northeast and reach near the Bangladesh-north Myanmar coasts on March 22. The sea is now in a moderate to rough state. From March 18, however, it is quite likely to become rough to extremely rough.