1ºThe current ‘low-pressure area’ over the Bay of Bengal is very likely to intensify into a “very severe cyclonic storm” on May 25 and will reach the north Bay of Bengal near West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha and Bangladesh coasts around May 26 morning, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its update on Saturday. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned to evacuate around 20,000 people living in vulnerable areas here to cyclone shelters in view of Cyclone Yaas, which is expected to hit the Odisha coast on May 26. Stay with TOI for all the latest updates:
09:05 AM (IST), May 23
Amid cyclones, Chennai weather radar goes on blink, new one yet to come
A cyclone (Yaas) is in the making over the Bay of Bengal, but the city doesn’t have a reliable weather radar to track rain-bearing clouds. The ageing doppler weather radar at Chennai Port is yet to be fixed while the new radar planned inside the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) at Pallikaranai is yet to become operational. While the radar at Port, which is nearly 20 years old, is not operated full time but only for a few hours when rain-bearing clouds form closer to the coast, the new radar was to become operational in April.
09:02 AM (IST), May 23
Southern Railway cancels trains ahead of Cyclone Yaas
People heading home due to the proposed complete lockdown may have to wait as Southern Railway has cancelled around 29 trains along the east coast line, including ones to Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal till May 28. The cancellations were sparked because of the impending Cyclone Yaas that is expected to cross the coast between Odisha and West Bengal. This is expected to impact guest workers the most as several have started to reach MGR Central station, Egmore and also Tambaram hoping to find trains to return home. The station has been receiving a steady inflow of people in the last few days. Railways also cancelled another set of trains, including ones from Chennai to Puri on Monday, Villupuram to Purlia on Wednesday, Villupuram to Kharagpur on Tuesday when the possibility of the cyclone was confirmed later in the day. More trains from Howrh to Benglaluru via Chennai were also cancelled. “The cancellations are due to safety reasons as the route on the areas which are likely to get heavy rain,” said an official.
08:47 AM (IST), May 23
PM Modi to hold a meeting with senior government officials & representatives from National Disaster Management Authority, secretaries from telecom, power, civil aviation, Earth Sciences ministries to review preparations against approaching Cyclone Yaas today. Union home minister & other ministers will also join.
08:43 AM (IST), May 23
Cyclone Yaas: West Bengal government ready special teams, control rooms
Taking a cue from the devastating effects of cyclone Amphan that had hit Bengal exactly a year ago, the state government, civic agencies and police are chalking out plans to combat the effects of Yaas, which is predicted to make a landfall on the morning of May 26.
08:24 AM (IST), May 23
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation plans to evacuate 20,000 people
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has planned to evacuate around 20,000 people living in vulnerable areas here to cyclone shelters in view of Cyclone Yaas, which is expected to hit the Odisha coast on May 26. The number of people evacuated is far less than compared to Fani that tore through Bhubaneswar in May 2019. Ahead of Fani, 50,000 people had been shifted from homes to shelters. “Based on IMD update, we are ready to move 20, 000 people, to safer places. Many residents in slums now have ‘pucca’ houses and they may need not be shifted at all. However, we will have to wait for the IMD bulletin till May 24 evening. It may so happen that none will require to be shifted,” said BMC additional commissioner Laxmikanta Sethi.
08:18 AM (IST), May 23
Cyclone Yaas likely to turn into a very severe cyclonic storm, says Met department
Cyclone Yaas has started forming over east-central Bay of Bengal and seems imminent to turn into a cyclonic storm by May 24 and subsequently, into a very severe cyclonic storm over the next 24 hours even as it roars into the north Bay of Bengal on May 25. The cyclone was likely to strike the Bengal coast, either East Midnapore or South 24 Parganas, said the Met office. It hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Yaas hitting land near north Odisha or the Bangladesh coast. At the time of landfall on May 26 morning, the cyclone is predicted to have a wind speed of 155-165 km/hour.
08:03 AM (IST), May 23
With Odisha bracing up for cyclonic storm Yaas, the first 22-member Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team on Saturday arrived in Jagatsinghpur's Paradip. According to the Jagatsinghpur collector Sangram Keshari Mohapatra, the epicentre of cyclone Yaas was reported below the Pacific Ocean floor, but no tsunami alert was issued. "It is expected to make landfall in northern Odisha and Sundarbans, moving north and northwest. The state government has expedited all preparations. Fishermen who have gone fishing to the sea are being brought back," said Mohapatra. (ANI)
08:01 AM (IST), May 23
“People must not panic but remain prepared for the cyclone Odisha has energed a model for the world in coping with natural disasters. The IMD has been making advanced and accurate forecast, allowing enough time for governments to begin preparations,” Mohapatra added.