Cyclone Yaas LIVE: Storm turns severe, 8 missing after boat capsizes in Odisha
Premium- Yaas is likely to cross north Odisha, West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar islands around noon of 26th May as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm
Cyclone Yaas: Cyclone Yaas has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and it will cross between Paradip and Sagar Island around Balasore tomorrow (Wednesday) noon, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed in its latest update on Tuesday. The NDRF has committed 109 teams in six states, including Odisha and West Bengal. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from coastal areas of both the states to safer places.
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In a statement posted on Monday, the weather department said that storm was very likely to move north-northwestwards, and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours.
ALSO READ | 5 things you should know about cyclones
"It would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach Northwest Bay of Bengal near north Odisha and West Bengal coasts by 26th May early morning. It is very likely to cross north Odisha, West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar islands around noon of 26th May as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm," the IMD stated.
Cyclone Yaas - LIVE UPDATES
Cyclone Yaas: 8 missing after boat capsizes in Sileru river, Odisha
Cyclone Yaas Live: 8 people missing after a boat capsized in Sileru river in Chitrakonda Police station limits in Odisha, near Odisha- Andhra Pradesh border. Search and rescue operation is currently underway, Visakhapatnam SP BV Krishna Rao to ANI.
Cyclone Yaas: Bengal power firms better prepared than Amphan time
West Bengal's two power utilities have claimed that they are better prepared for Cyclone Yaas than they were for Amphan. The state-run West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited and private utility CESC Limited said this time they aim to minimise inconvenience to consumers.
Speaking to PTI, CESC Vice President (Distribution) Avijit Ghosh said that this year his firm was better prepared than the time of Amphan. "Then we had a shortage of manpower as many of them had gone to their hometown due to the lockdown during the first wave. But this year we have 2,500 people on the ground, which is more than double that we had last year."
A WBSEDCL official said that priority will be given to the restoration of power lines to the medical establishments such as hospitals, safe homes, vaccine storage areas, drinking water lines, mobile towers and crematoriums. Leaves of all employees have been suspended, and at least three gangs will be deployed at each block of the state under its distribution area, the official told the news agency.
Both CESC and WBSEB set up emergency call centres to receive complaints.
For CESC, the numbers are 3501-1912/4403- 1912/18605001912.
WBSEBs control room numbers are 8900793503 and 8900793504.
Cyclone Yaas: People evacuated in Bengal's East Medinipur
Special labour rate for post cyclone restoration work in Odisha
The Odisha government has approved special labour rate for post Cyclone Yaas restoration work ₹462 for unskilled labour, ₹522 for semi-skilled and ₹597 for skilled labour, which are 50% higher than rates notified by Labour and ESI department of Odisha. ₹175 has been fixed towards food and other charges per day.
Cyclone Yaas: Rain lashes Odisha's Chandipur
Hundreds evacuated in Odisha, Bengal
Ahead of the storm, hundreds of people were evacuated from coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik on Monday urged people in cyclone prone areas to move to shelter homes and cooperate with administration. More than 800 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force personnel are in a high state of readiness for the cyclone Yaas.
Calcutta HC cancels all matters listed on 26-27th May
The Calcutta High Court has cancelled all matters listed on 26th and 27th May in view of the warning issued by the IMD for the cyclonic storm.
NDRF commits 109 teams in six states
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has committed 109 teams in six states. "In view of the impending Cyclone Yaas, more than 100 teams of NDRF have been deployed across six states - Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman & Nicobar UT," NDRF DG SN Pradhan said on Monday.
Five teams have been deployed in Bengal's East Midnapore and 2 teams in Digha. "Evacuation has started in Digha with people in temporary shelters being evacuated while those in permanent houses have been asked to take necessary precautions, ahead of Cyclone Yaas," the NDRF Assistant Commandant (2nd Battalion) told news agency ANI.
Rainfall Warnings by IMD
The IMD has predicted rainfall in Odisha, West Bengal, north coastal area of Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Bihar and Meghalaya.
North Coastal Andhra Pradesh: Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places on 25th May.
Odisha: Heavy to very heavy rainfall in Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore districts and heavy over Ganjam, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj districts on 25th May.
Heavy to very heavy rains at a few places with extremely heavy falls at isolated places in Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Keonjhargarh and heavy falls at isolated places in Puri, Khurda, Angul, Deogarh, Sundergarh on 26th May and heavy rainfall at isolated places in north interior Odisha on 27th May.
West Bengal & Sikkim: Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall over Medinipur, South 24 Parganas and heavy rainfall at isolated places in Howrah, Hooghly, & north 24 Parganas districts on 25th May.
Extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over Jhargram, Medinipur, south 24 Parganas and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places Purulia, Bankura, Bardhaman, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata , north 24 Parganas, Bhirbhum and heavy falls at isolated places over Nadia, Murshidabad, Darjeeling Districts on 26th May.
Heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in Malda & Darjeeling, Dinajpur, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Sikkim and heavy rain at a few places over Bankura, Purulia, Bardhaman, Bhirbhum & Murshidabad on 27th May.
Jharkhand: Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy falls at isolated places on 26th and 27th May and isolated heavy falls on 28th May.
Bihar: Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy falls at isolated places on 27th May and isolated heavy to very heavy falls on 28th May.
Assam & Meghalaya: Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places on 26th & 27th May.
Sea condition
As per IMD, sea condition is high to very high over West central and adjoining east central Bay of Bengal. It is very likely to become very high to phenomenal over northern parts of central Bay of Bengal, north Bay of Bengal and along and off north Andhra Pradesh-Odisha–West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts during 24th–26th May.
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