IMD Predicts Cyclone Yaas to Intensify into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm in Next 12 Hours
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that Cyclone Yaas could turn into a very severe cyclonic storm, arriving in the next 12 hours. The department has also issued a warning of a storm surge, along with heavy rain.
The states on India’s eastern coast are on alert ahead of the landfall of the cyclone, which has been brewing in the Bay of Bengal.
Dark clouds hovering in the sky ahead of the landfall of Cyclone Yaas at Dhulagarh in Howrah district | Image: PTI
Officials of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) Kolkata said that the “Very Severe Cyclonic Storm” Yaas will reach the north Odisha and West Bengal coasts by Wednesday early morning.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Kolkata was evacuating about 10 lakh people from the coastal areas to cyclone shelters to protect them from the intensity of the impending cyclone.
Ms. Banerjee said,
We have about 4,000 cyclone shelters where people who are being evacuated will be given shelter to minimise the loss of lives. Twenty of the 23 districts will be affected by ‘Yaas’. What we have come to know is, this cyclone will be more severe than ‘Amphan’. We will be happy if the impact is less.
The cyclone will cross Kolkata on May 26 with severe intensity and is likely to make a landfall between the Paradip Coast in Odisha and Sagar Island in West Bengal, close to Balasore in Odisha.
Also Read: Cyclone Tauktae Weakens after Making Landfall in Gujarat
During the landfall, wind speed in parts of Odisha and West Bengal would be about 155 to 165 kmph, increasing up to 185 kmph. The wind speed over the coastal areas in North and South 24 Parganas would be 90 km to 100 km, gusting 120 km at the time of the landfall.
The CS YAAS intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm, lay centred at 1800 UTC of 24th May about 390km SSE of Paradip, likely to move north-northwestwards, to cross between Paradip and Sagar Island around Balasore, during noon of 26th May as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. pic.twitter.com/1MVR7TNxIz
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 24, 2021
Apparently, unlike ‘Aila’ (May 2009) and ‘Amphan’ (May 2020), ‘Yaas’ would not make a landfall in West Bengal; therefore, its impact could be relatively less.
Tidal waves of 2-4 metre height above astronomical tide are likely to inundate low-lying coastal areas of Jhargram, south 24 Parganas, Medinipur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Jagatsighpur districts around the times of cyclone landfall.
#WATCH Rain lashes Odisha’s Chandipur as cyclone Yaas is expected to make landfall at Balasore coast on May 26#Odisha pic.twitter.com/YBh696l2eC
— ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2021
The CM said that people in low-lying areas have been advised to take shelter in food centres once the cyclone makes landfall. She also said that power backup has been provided at hospitals. About 51 teams of the state disaster response force have been posted at several strategic places in the state.
The states on India’s eastern coast are on alert ahead of the landfall of the cyclone, which has been brewing in the Bay of Bengal | Image: PTI
The cyclone will also impact the neighbouring country of Bangladesh, where authorities have asked all fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay of Bengal and the deep sea to move closer to the coast before the cyclone impacts the land.
Cyclone Yaas is arriving mere days after Cyclone Tauktae wreaked havoc on the western coast of the country. According to scientists, cyclones in India are becoming more frequent and climate change has caused them to become more intense.
Update: May 26
Yaas lashed coastal areas with ferocious wind and rain as it made landfall, damaging buildings. Mamata Banerjee said that in West Bengal, one crore people have been affected by the cyclone and over 3 lakh houses have been damaged due to the harsh conditions brought by the storm.
IMD said that Cyclone Yaas has completed the process of landfall, while rainfall will continue till tomorrow. Fishermen have been advised not to venture out till tomorrow morning because the sea condition will be rough after the passing of the cyclone.
The department also said that it will gradually weaken into a severe cyclonic storm in the next few hours and into a cyclonic storm after six hours.
Jharkhand was put on high alert after the forecast that cyclone Yaas would be hitting the state by midnight after making its landfall in Odisha and West Bengal.
Via: The Hindu
