The deep depression over Southeast Bay of Bengal Sunday moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 16 kmph during past 6 hours and intensified into a cyclonic storm Asani' (pronounced as Asani) , IMD said.

The system lay centered at 5.30 AM over Southeast Bay of Bengal, about 450 km west-northwest of Car Nicobar (Nicobar Islands), 380 km west of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 970 km southeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 1030 km south-southeast of Puri (Odisha). It is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm over east central Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department said adding that the system is very likely to continue to move northwestwards till May 10th evening and reach West-central and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts.

Thereafter, it is very likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move towards Northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha coast.