Cyclone Asani forecast to hit Arakan coast on March 23; ferry services suspended ahead of landfall

By DMG 21 Mar 2022

DMG Newsroom
21 March 2022, Sittwe

A deep depression is expected to make landfall along the coasts of the northern Andaman Sea and southeastern Bay of Bengal on March 23, according to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH).

The depression, soon to be christened Cyclone Asani, is expected to move northward along the Nicobar Islands chain and become a strong cyclone over the next 24 hours, the DMH said in a statement on Monday.

The DMH predicted that the deep depression would reach Coco Island on Monday afternoon before moving on toward southwestern Ayeyarwady Region on March 22, and making landfall along the Arakan coast on Wednesday morning.

“The current situation is the deep depression is moving toward Myanmar and is classified as an orange stage,” the DMH statement said.

Due to the intensity of the depression, scattered rain and thundershowers are likely in some regions and states including Arakan State, Nay Pyi Taw, and Sagaing and Ayeyarwady regions from Monday through March 23, with heavy rain in some places. Maximum wind speeds are expected to reach 40 mph off the coast of Arakan State, as well as in Ayeyawady and Yangon regions, the DMH said.

The DMH also warned domestic and international fishing vessels and inshore vessels to take precautionary measures along the Myanmar coast and farther offshore.

Some ferry services in Arakan State suspended operations on Monday for fear of the possible impacts of Cyclone Asani.

The ferry service running between Taungup-Manaung was suspended as of Monday, and the ferry service running between Sittwe and Taungup will be suspended as of Tuesday. Other services will also be suspended depending on how strong winds are, said manager U San Maw Thein of Shwe Pyi Tan ferry boat service told DMG.

“We will resume operations one day after the storm is over. We hope to resume operations on March 25,” said the manager.

Aung Tagun ferry service, which runs between Sittwe and Buthidaung, has also suspended operations.