Red alert for Karnataka as cyclone Asna hits the state, Gujarat to receive heavy rains

Cyclone Asna, a rare August storm, has triggered a red alert for coastal Karnataka, with the Indian Meteorological Department predicting heavy rain in Gujarat. The cyclone, which formed near the Saurashtra-Kutch region, is now advancing towards Oman without causing major damage in Gujarat, though heavy rainfall has led to evacuations.

 Cyclone Asna, an early August cyclone that develops over the Saurashtra-Kutch region of Gujarat, has led the IMD to issue a red alert for coastal Karnataka. The cyclone is likely to cause heavy rainfall in Gujarat where there has been flooding and loss of lives in the recent past. 

On Friday evening Cyclone Asna crossed Gujarat coast without much destruction. The storm which originated over the Kutch coast has now shifted to the Arabian Sea and is advancing towards Oman. The cyclone, named by Pakistan, is a rare event for this time of the year, the first storm in the Arabian Sea in August since 1976. 

By Friday morning, Gujarat had received some respite from the heavy rains but the losses were already on the higher side. Flooding in the past four days claimed 26 lives, more than 18 thousand people were evacuated from the flooded areas. About 1200 people had to be evacuated from areas that were most affected by the increasing water levels. 

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 Even though the cyclone has shifted course away from India, IMD has said that there will be heavy rainfall in some areas of Gujarat. The wind speeds that have been reported in Cyclone Asna range from 63 to 87 kmph, which has raised the level of flooding and water logging in the affected areas especially the most affected areas. 

The storm is approaching Oman and as a result, the coastal regions of Karnataka are expecting heavy rains and turbulent sea conditions which has put the authorities on alert.