Cyclonic Storm YAAS Likely to intensify into Very Severe Cyclonic Storm in Next 12 Hours

The  Severe  Cyclonic Storm  "Yaas"  over  East-central  Bay  of Bengal  moved  northwestwards  with  a  speed  of  about  10  kmph  during  the past  6  hours,  and  lay centred  early today over  East-central  and adjoining  West-central Bay  of  Bengal  near  latitude  18.0°N  and  longitude  88.6°E.  It lay  about  320  km  south-southeast  of Paradip  (Odisha),  430  km  south-southeast  of  Balasore  (Odisha),  420  km  south-southeast  of Digha  (West  Bengal)  and 470  kms  south-southwest  of  Khepupara  (Bangladesh).  It  is  very  likely  to  move  north-northwestwards and  intensify  further  into  a  Very  Severe Cyclonic  Storm  during  the next  12  hours.

  

It  would  continue  to  move  north-northwestwards, intensify  further  and  reach  Northwest  Bay  of  Bengal  near  north  Odisha  and  West  Bengal  coasts very  close  to  Chandbali-Dhamra  port  by  the  early  morning  tomorrow.  It  is very  likely  to  cross  north  Odisha-West  Bengal  coasts  between  Paradip  and  Sagar  Island  around Balasore, by  tomorrow  noon as a  Very  Severe  Cyclonic  Storm.

 

The severe cyclonic storm YAAS over the Bay of Bengal may intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm today. According to the Indian Meteorological department, Yaas will cross north Odisha coast between Dhamra and Balasore by noon tomorrow as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speed from 155  to 165 kms per



hour gusting up to 185 kms per hour. Due to the cyclonic impact, several parts of Odisha have been experiencing wind and rainfall of varying degrees. The weather department has issued red for heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall for the four highly vulnerable districts like Bhadrak, Balasore, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada. Meanwhile the Odisha government is fully prepared to mitigate the impact of the cyclone. A number of rescue, relief and restoration teams have been deployed in the high-impact zone. The state government has cancelled all leaves of its employees and holidays till the end of this month.

 

AIR correspondent reports that till 10 in the morning today, about 50 to 60 thousand people from the low lying and storm surge areas and also from vulnerable pockets have been evacuated to the cyclone shelters. Informing the media today in Bhubaneswar, Pradip Kumar Jena, Special Relief Commissioner of the state said that all the concerned district administration have been asked to complete the evacuation process by today evening.

 

He said, a total of about 6 thousand 9 hundred cyclone and alternative shelters have been readied in the cyclone-prone areas that can accommodate upto 7.5 lakh people. He said, besides the four high impact districts, local administration of many other districts have also been ed to make arrangements for people for safe shelters in view of the high velocity wind that may blow across in their respective areas as well.

 

Based on the meteorological inputs, he said that both wind and rainfall, especially in and around the areas likely to take the cyclonic blow, may start gaining in speed and intensity from afternoon today. Mr. Jena said that the government has kept a large number of teams ready to help restore essential services like drinking water, electricity and road connectivity in the cyclonic aftermath. He however has appealed to people of the areas likely to be impacted most to store sufficient water so as to last for at least two to three days as a preparatory measure.