The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red alert’ for coastal Karnataka due to the approaching Cyclone Asna, which is expected to bring extremely heavy rainfall to Gujarat on Saturday, August 31.
Cyclone Asna, which is forming over the Saurashtra-Kutch region in Gujarat, is an unusual occurrence for this time of year. The storm is predicted to move into the Arabian Sea and head towards Oman. This cyclone has been named by Pakistan, and it marks the first cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea during August since 1976. Historical records show that only three storms of this nature have formed in August over the Arabian Sea, specifically in 1944, 1964, and 1976.
The 1976 storm began in Odisha, traveled west-northwest into the Arabian Sea, and weakened near Oman’s coast. Similarly, the 1944 storm intensified in the Arabian Sea before dissipating, and a brief storm in 1964 formed off the South Gujarat coast but weakened near the shore.
Cyclone Asna is the first of its kind to develop in the Arabian Sea in August since 1976. As of 11:30 AM, the storm was about 190 kilometers west-northwest of Bhuj, Gujarat. The cyclone has been moving westward at a speed of 6 kilometers per hour. The wind speeds associated with deep depressions range from 52 to 61 kmph, while cyclones have wind speeds between 63 and 87 kmph.
In Gujarat, recent heavy rainfall has led to significant impacts, including the loss of 26 lives over the past four days. More than 18,000 people have been evacuated, and around 1,200 have been rescued from severely flooded areas. Although rainfall has lessened in most parts of Gujarat by Friday morning, many towns and villages are still dealing with severe waterlogging due to overflowing rivers. The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) reported that from 6 am to 2 pm, only four locations in the state received between 15 mm and 26 mm of rain, while other areas experienced either dry conditions or light showers.