After Whiplashing West Bengal & Odisha, Cyclone Yaas Weakens Into Deep Depression Over Jharkhand| 10 Points

After wreaking havoc in Odisha and West Bengal on Wednesday, Cyclone Yaas gradually weakened into a deep depression on Thursday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said

Image: PTI

Cyclone Yaas: The storm has weakened into a deep depression and one more state which could have been severely impacted by the intense storm will now receive moderate to heavy rainfall on Thursday according to IMD. However, cyclone 'Yaas', which whiplashed the country's eastern coasts, dumping heavy rain and damaging houses and farmlands have severely affected West Bengal and Odisha.

While Jharkhand is witnessing such intense effects of cyclone for the first time, Cyclone Yaas uprooted lives in Bengal and Odisha. Both the state CMs took immediate steps for relief operation and centre's planning is helping states to overcome the disaster.

• West Bengal Chief Minister said one crore people were affected in the state due to cyclone 'Yaas'. One person also died "accidentally" when he had gone out fishing, she said. "West Bengal has been the most affected because we also experienced high tide along with the cyclone fury. "At least one crore people were impacted, and three lakh houses and 134 embankments damaged," she told reporters at the state secretariat.
• Cyclone Yaas that barrelled through coastal Odisha triggering damage of varying degrees spared Bhitarkanika National Park and adjoining hamlets in Kendrapara district with its luxuriant mangrove cover acting as a protective barrier against Nature's fury. An official said that the mangrove forest has withstood the wind velocity of the cyclone yet again. The region has witnessed seven major cyclones in the past two decades including Yaas. Each time, the cyclonic storm has not impacted the national park and the nearby human habitations, said Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division, Bikash Ranjan Dash.
• Odisha chief minister Naveen Pattnaik has announced seven-day relief for all families of 128 marooned villages of Cyclone Yaas-affected districts. All major roads and 80 per cent electricity supply will be restored for commutation in the next 24 hours. 
• The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecast thunderstorm with lightning and light to moderate rainfall in parts of Kolkata, East and West Medinipur districts of West Bengal in the next 1-2 hours from 6 am today. 
• The IMD said that isolated rain with thunderstorms is possible over east Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Gujarat, Konkan & Goa, Maharashtra, Marathawada, Chhattisgarh, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal and northern interior Karnataka. Scattered rain with thunderstorms is expected over Bihar and southern interior Karnataka.

• Despite being hit by Cyclone Yaas, the Odisha government has ensured the uninterrupted supply of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) which is required by several states where the cases of Covid-19 are still high. State government officials said that the uninterrupted supply of LMO was due to proper planning by the government. Speaking to IANS, YK Jethwa, ADG Law and Order of Odisha police said, "Advanced planning was done and standard operating procedure was prepared for ensuring unhindered Oxygen movement, while ensuring the safety of oxygen production centres, tankers, drivers and other staff." Jethwa said that each tanker was moved under close supervision and escort of Odisha Police.

• Rescue operations are still continuing as many trees and electric poles are uprooted after the cyclone hit areas. Teams, which are deployed on the ground, are removing these uprooted trees from the roads to keep communication lines clear.
•  The Indian Army rescued around 700 people marooned at different places in West Bengal's East Midnapore district, which bore the brunt of cyclone 'Yaas', as large tracts of land in coastal areas of the state were inundated in a storm surge, a Defence official said. Stranded people were also rescued from places submerged in the storm surge in South 24 Parganas and Howrah, he said.
•  People of 14 of the 23 districts of West Bengal faced electricity outage due to Cyclone Yaas and many sub-stations are under water following heavy rain induced by the storm on Wednesday, Power Minister Aroop Biswas said. He said he sought a report from the power utilities of the state for loss assessment within 72 hours. "There is waist-level water in many locations. A number of sub-stations are now under water. Loss assessment will be available after ground surveys," Biswas said. The state-owned West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) supplies power to most of the districts.
•  The government on Wednesday said there was the minimal impact of the cyclone on telecom infrastructure and the networks were extensively used to alert people in local languages to reduce damages. Telecom secretary Anshu Prakash told PTI that it was the first time voice messages were used to reach out to people in local languages and alert them about the cyclone Yaas threat. "This is the first time voice alerts were sent to people in their local language, which should have had an impact. Telecom service providers (TSPs) readily cooperated to offer this facility free of cost. We will add this facility as standard protocol for disaster management," Prakash said.