On Tuesday evening, Yaas grew into a “very severe cyclonic storm” and headed for India’s eastern coast, with Odisha and West Bengal bracing for landfall and evacuating 1.1 million people from low-lying areas and herding them into storm shelters.
Two people were electrocuted and around 80 homes were destroyed in a pre-cyclone storm in Bengal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which predicted the cyclone would hit near the Chandbali-Dhamra port in Odisha by noon on Wednesday.
“During landfall it will have a wind speed of 155 kmph-165 kmph, gusting to 185 kmph. The impact will be severe for six hours before and after the landfall at Chandbali. Big trees and electric poles may get uprooted. Chandbali is likely to witness the maximum damage due to the cyclone,” said IMD directort general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.
He said authorities prioritised four districts in Odisha — Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore — as likely bear the worst impact of Yaas.”Even after landfall, Yaas will maintain the intensity of a cyclone for about 12 to 18 hours before it degenerates,” said Mohapatra.
Odisha is expected to bear the brunt of the country’s second major cyclone in nine days — Cyclone Tauktae wreaked havoc on India’s western coast last week — with some impact on West Bengal, primarily due to surge and rainfall-induced floods in coastal districts.
“Every life is precious, thus all possible steps should be taken to protect life,” Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said. Very rough seas, stormy weather and gale winds are likely to affect shipping vessels and fishing operations.
Pradip Jena, Odisha’s special relief commissioner, said 210,621 people were relocated to cyclone shelters across 15 districts. “There are 6,900 cyclone centres ready for use, with a capacity of 7.50 lakh people,” he added.
710 diesel generators, 813 tankers, and 10,000 government workers were dispatched to the coastal districts, according to Jena. By Tuesday night, another 2,000 workers are expected to arrive at their assigned locations. A total of 4,000 rescuers have been dispatched.
A freak storm in Bengal’s Hooghly and North 24 Parganas districts electrocuted two people and damaged 80 homes, according to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
