Cyclone Yass LIVE updates: 12 lakh people evacuated, 5 airports shut, trains canceled
PremiumYass LIVE: Flight operations at the Kolkatas NSCBI airport will be suspended from 8.30 am to 7.45 pm owing to the weather warning on Wednesday
Cyclone Yaas intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm on Tuesday evening, India Meteorological Department said, even as the states of West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand aggressively evacuated over 12 lakh people to storm shelters by late evening.
The IMD also issued a red-coded warning alert to the Odisha and West Bengal coasts.
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April-May, the pre-monsoon months, usually witness formation of cyclones on the eastern as well as the western coast.
Cyclone Yass LIVE updates
-In view of the impending cyclone Yaas, 38 long-distance South-bound and Kolkata-bound passenger trains were cancelled from May 24 to 29, informed Railways Public Relations Officer (PRO) on Tuesday.
-Cyclone Yaas is likely to make landfall by noon on Wednesday with wind speed of about 130 to 155 kmph, informed the India Meteorological Department (IMD), adding that it currently lay centred over northwest Bay of Bengal.
-In view of the impending cyclone Yaas, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Jharsuguda, Durgapur and Rourkela airports will remain shut for commercial flights.
-The Airports Authority of India (AAI) said that Bhubaneswar will be closed from 11 pm on Tuesday till 5 am on Thursday, Jharsuguda from 12.01 am on Wednesday till 7.45 am on Thursday. Durgapur and Rourkela airports will be closed on Wednesday. Commercial operations at Kolkata will be suspended from 8.30 am to 7.45 pm on Wednesday.
-`Yaas', which was positioned 160 km south-southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 240 km south-southeast of Digha in West Bengal over north-west and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal on Tuesday evening, is likely to gain a maximum speed of 155 kmph to 165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph during landfall, the Met department said.
-Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday held a review meeting on impending cyclone Yass and instructed officials to remain alert to deal with the calamity.
-Calcutta High Court on Monday informed that it has canceled the hearing of all matters listed for May 26 and 27, in view of the warning issued by India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the cyclonic storm.
-Flight operations at the Kolkatas NSCBI airport will be suspended from 8.30 am to 7.45 pm owing to the weather warning on Wednesday, the Airports Authority of India said. Bhubaneshwars Biju Patnaik International airport too will remain shut from 11 pm Tuesday till 5 am on Thursday.
-The South Eastern Railways too has cancelled several trains.
-West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that her administration has evacuated over nine lakh people from coastal districts to safe shelters. The Odisha government, on the other hand, said it has moved over 3 lakh people from vulnerable coastal areas to safety.
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