As cyclone Asani changed course and headed towards the Andhra coastline, heavy rain lashed the state’s coastal Kakinada district this morning

India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall and a red alert has been issued along with the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh in the wake of cyclone Asani.

Telangana's Nalgonda, Suryapet, Bhadradri  Kothagudem, Khammam and Mulugu districts are likely to receive light to moderate rainfall.

IMD has forecast light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with isolated extremely heavy falls is likely over coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over coastal Odisha and adjoining coastal West Bengal today.

"Squally wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph is prevailing along and off Andhra Pradesh coast. It is likely to increase and become gale wind speed reaching 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph in the morning hours of 11th May along & off Andhra Pradesh coast (Krishna, East & West Godavari, Yanam of Puducherry UT and Visakhapatnam districts) and further, it would decrease to 45-55 Kmph gusting to 65 kmph over the region," according to the IMD weather bulletin.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) also said that the severe Cyclonic Storm 'Asani' weakened into a 'cyclonic storm' and is likely to become a depression by Thursday morning.

Also read: Heavy rain in Odisha, Bengal and Andhra Pradesh likely from Tuesday as Cyclone Asani gathers speed