Cyclone Yaas LIVE updates: Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata on high alert, says IMD

Cyclone Yaas LIVE updates: The governments of Bengal and Odisha are on high alert for the very severe cyclonic storm Yaas heading their way from the Bay of Bengal and likely to make landfall late on Wednesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday that the cyclone is likely to make landfall on May 26 evening between Paradip in Odisha and Sagar islands in West Bengal after intensifying into a very severe cyclonic storm' with wind speed ranging from 155kmph to 165 kmph, gusting to 185 kmph. It will start bringing heavy rain in coastal areas from Tuesday.

Yaas is expected to be about as intense as Cyclone Tauktae which slammed into the west coast last week but tamer than Cyclone Amphan which hit Bengal exactly one year ago and for about three devastating minutes sustained wind speeds of 240 kmph. At least 80 people lost their lives.

In both states, the National Disaster Response Force or NDRF, the military and the Coast Guard have been pressed into service.

The state has ordered the evacuation of people from low-lying areas like Digha of the coastal district of East Medinipur, adjoining West Medinipur and Jhargram.

The Sunderbans of North and South 24 Parganas are also prone to severe flooding. Howrah, Hooghly and Kolkata are on high alert.

Stay tuned for Cyclone Yaas LIVE updates