Cyclone Yaas: All Coastal Districts Of Odisha Put On High Alert, Over 70 Trains Cancelled

The weather department has advised fishermen not to venture into the deep sea area of the central Bay of Bengal between May 23 and May 25

(Representative Image/Getty)

Cyclone Yaas: The Odisha government has issued high alert in at least 14 of the state's 30 districts in the wake of the IMD's forecast of a possible cyclone crossing the Odisha-West Bengal coast by May 26 morning.

In view of possible cyclonic storm YAAS over the Bay of Bengal, the Railway authorities canceled a total of 74 trains passing through East Coast Railway (ECoR) jurisdiction.

IMD in its bulletin has informed that a low-pressure system is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal on May 22. This may intensify into a depression on May 23 and into a cyclone on May 24. The cyclone is likely to make landfall between Odisha and West Bengal.

The system is very likely to move north-westwards and reach the Odisha-West Bengal coast around May 26 morning. The weather department has advised fishermen not to venture into the deep sea area of the central Bay of Bengal between May 23 and May 25 and into the North Bay of Bengal along and off the Odisha coast from May 24 to May 27.

The Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, said “A Low-pressure area has formed over eastcentral BoB today morning. To intensify into a CS by 24th May. To intensify further into Very Severe Cyclonic Storm, move north-northwestwards and cross West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha & Bangladesh coasts around 26th evening.”

The cyclonic storm ‘Cyclone Yaas’, is likely to move northwestwards and reach the Odisha-West Bengal coast on May 26 (Wednesday).

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has begun positioning its teams in West Bengal and Odisha as Cyclone Yaas is likely to hit these states on the eastern coast of the country around May 26-27.

The Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, tweeted, “A cyclonic circulation lies over Southeast and adjoining central Bay of Bengal between 3.1 km & 5.8 km above mean sea level. Under its influence, a Low-pressure area is very likely to form over east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining the north Andaman Sea on 22nd May 2021. It is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a Cyclonic Storm by 24th May. It would continue to move northwestwards, intensify further and reach North Bay of Bengal near Odisha- West Bengal coasts around 26th May morning.”

Following are warnings issues by the Regional Meteorological Centre:

(i) Rainfall:

Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over the districts of coastal Odisha very likely to commence from 25th May with a significant increase in intensity and spatial extension subsequently.

(ii) Wind warning

• Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely to prevail over the Andaman Sea & adjoining east-central and southeast Bay of Bengal on 22nd May. It is very likely to increase becoming 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph over east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea from 23rd Morning. It is very likely to increase further becoming 50-60 gusting to 70 kmph on 23rd May and becoming Gale wind speed reaching 65 to 75 gusting to 85 over major parts of central Bay of Bengal from 24th morning and would increase gradually till 25th May.

• Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting 60 kmph is very likely to prevail over North Bay of Bengal and along and off Odisha - West Bengal Bangladesh coasts from 24th evening. It would increase gradually becoming 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph from the 25th evening and would gradually increase thereafter till 26th noon.

(iii) Sea condition

Sea conditions will be rough to very rough over the Andaman Sea & adjoining cast the central Bay of Bengal on 23rd May, High to very high over major parts of central Bay of Bengal, North Bay of Bengal and along & off Odisha - West Bengal coasts during 24th - 26th May.

(iv) Fishermen Warning

The fishermen are advised not to venture into the central Bay of Bengal from 23rd 25th May and into north Bengal and along & off Odisha - West Bengal coasts from 24th - 27th May. Fishermen, those who are out in the Deep Sea are advised to return to the coast by 23rd May 2021.

April-May, the pre-monsoon months, usually witness the formation of cyclones on the eastern as well as the western coast. May 2020 saw two cyclones -- super cyclonic storm Amphan and severe cyclonic storm Nisarga -- which hit the eastern and western coast, respectively.