India’s eastern coast states are on alert ahead of the landfall of Cyclone Yaas, which has been brewing in the Bay of Bengal. Days after a thunderous cyclonic storm, Tauktae striking the country’s western coast and killed at least 140 people; this cyclone emerged.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Yaas is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours. It would continue to strengthen further and reach Northwest Bay of Bengal near north Odisha and West Bengal coasts close to Chandbali-Dhamra port by Wednesday’s early morning May 26.
It is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Island around Balasore, during noon on May 26, as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. It could pack persistent winds of up to 165 kilometers per hour.
Disaster relief teams have already been deployed in West Bengal and Odisha, and the coastal areas are being evacuated. The air force and navy said they have kept helicopters and vessels ready to carry out relief work.
Given the very severe cyclonic storm Yaas predicted to make landfall on the Odisha-West Bengal border on the country’s eastern coast, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik urged the people living in the coastal regions to cooperate with the local administration and shift to cyclone shelters. The administration evacuated locals from their homes to shelter homes in the Jagatsinghpur district. Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, and Jagastinghpur districts, along with Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar, have been identified as high-risk zones.
According to the weather department, on May 26 in West Bengal, the wind speed in Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly will hit 70 kmph to 80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph. North and South 24 Parganas coastal areas will experience 90 kmph to 100 kmph wind speed, gusting to 120 kmph. CM Mamata Banerjee said that the state government targets to shift at least 10 lakh people to safer places. She added that Yaas’s effect is going to be much more than Cyclone Amphan’s.
On Monday, Union home minister Amit Shah reviewed preparations and evacuation of people in sensitive coastal areas and intact return of all ships and vessels, and the safety of Covid-19 facilities such as oxygen plants situated in the region.
During a video conference held with the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal and the Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with officials of concerned ministries, Shah said a 24×7 control room is operating in the MHA, which can be approached by them any time for assistance.
The storm will lead to extreme rain activity in states as far away as Bihar. On Monday, the Patna Meteorological Centre (PMC) said that Cyclone Yaas is likely to trigger intensely heavy rain in several parts of the state in the coming two to three days. It has also issued an orange-color warning for May 27 and 28.
Jharkhand also has been placed under the red alert category by the weather department. The IMD has predicted intense rainfall in southern and central parts of the state on Wednesday and Thursday. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been appointed in East Singhbhum and Ranchi districts.
As per officials, the IMD has predicted a tidal surge of 2-4.5 meters during the landfall of Yaas. The mighty storm emerges as India is battling a second wave of Covid-19, complicating attempts to deal with both.
