Cyclone Yaas update: Massive evacuation begins; Odisha on the edge
A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into cyclonic storm 'Yaas' and is likely to cross the Odisha-West Bengal coasts on May 26 after turning into a very severe cyclonic storm, the MeT Department said on Monday.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday severe cyclonic storm Yaas may make landfall between Dhamra and Chandbali areas of Odisha’s Bhadrak district early on Wednesday. Yaas is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday evening and Chandbali is likely to witness the maximum damage, IMD’s director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.
In West Bengal, the coastal districts of Purba and Paschim Medinipur, South and North 24 Parganas, along with Howrah and Hooghly will experience light to moderate rainfall in most places with heavy to very heavy downpour at one or two places from May 25 owing to the system, the weatherman said.
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Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has earmarked its highest-ever number of teams for deployment in Odisha and West Bengal as part of its preparations for the impending cyclone. The federal contingency force has committed a total of 112 teams for deployment in five states and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands which are expected to be affected by the cyclone developing in the Bay of Bengal. Out of these, the highest number of 52 teams are designated for Odisha followed by 45 teams for West Bengal.
West Bengal and Odisha have evacuated lakhs of people from vulnerable areas to safety. Neighbouring Jharkhand has also sounded an alert and is preparing for the cyclone’s impact. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that her administration has evacuated over nine lakh people to safe shelters. The Odisha government, on the other hand, said it has moved over 2 lakh people from vulnerable areas in coastal districts to safety.
Banerjee said over 74,000 officers and workers and over 2 lakh policemen and civic volunteers have been deployed to mitigate the natural calamity in West Bengal.
She said that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel have been deployed and Army’s help will be sought if required. “We have evacuated at least 9 lakh people to relief and flood centres. There are 4,000 flood centres in the state.