KOLKATA: Cyclone Yaas is likely to make a landfall near Balasore in North Odisha around Wednesday (May 26) noon as 'very severe cyclonic storm', crossing north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Islands, said GK Das, Deputy Director of Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Alipore, on Monday.
At the time of landfall, the cyclone will bring in winds of 155-165 kilometres per hour (kmph) gusting up to 180 kmph. The wind speed over the coastal areas in North 24-Parganas and South 24-Parganas will be 90-100 kmph, gusting upto 120 kmph during landfall.
In Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly, the wind speed is likely to be 70-80 kmph gusting upto 90 kmph. Heavy rainfall has also been predicted. The MeT office said the deep depression over Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclone Yaas in the early hours of Monday. "It is now moving north-westwards with a speed of 7 kmph, lying centered about 590 km south-southeast of Balasore. It is likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm in the subsequent 24 hours," officials at RMC said.
CESC has decided to cut power supply in various areas in the city, including in Jadavpur, Manicktala and Beliaghata, during the cyclone due to the presence of overhead wires. Three helpline numbers have been launched — 35011912/18605001912 and 7439001912 (WhatsApp) — for the customers to register complaints.
State Food and Supply minister Rathin Ghosh on Monday held a meeting with the senior officials of North 24-Parganas to take a stock on the preparedness.
Ghosh issued necessary directives to the officials so that various departments put up a coordinated effort after the cyclone. He assured that steps would be taken to deliver food items and rations at the doorsteps of the people in the affected areas. "We cannot stop cyclones but we can ensure that the rescue and relief works can be undertaken on a war footing," Ghosh said.
Meanwhile, South 24-Parganas district administration has already evacuated 1,32,500 people and opened around 115 cyclone shelters. Around 19 flood shelters and 1,612 other shelters have been set up. Around 372 community kitchens have been made operational by the district administration so far.
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) geared up its preparation towards the preventive and response measures on Eastern seaboard and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. All the ashore, afloat and aviation units have been put on high alert. ICG ships and aircraft have been extensively deployed in Bay of Bengal and the Andaman sea. Broadcasting is being carried out to caution fishing boats and merchant vessels.
The ICG has deployed 16 ships and three aircraft per day on an average across the deep waters of Bay of Bengal as well as off the coast of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar islands, a press handout issued by ICG stated.