Cyclone Yaas Nears Landfall: Windspeed, Path Update By IMD; Kolkata Airport Suspends Operations, Army Deployed

Tropical Storm Cyclone Yaas has intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm and will make landfall between Dhamra Port & Balasore on the Odisha coast at noon on May 26. India Meteorological Department has predicted the wind speed would be 130-140 km per hour gusting up to 155 km per hour. The storm's path shows it is expected to pass over parts of West Bengal too. The cyclone is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip & Sagar Island. The maximum wind speed of Yaas is expected to be up to 155 km per hour between 5.30 & 11.30 am along the north Odisha coast as the cyclone approaches landfall. Around 3 million people in Odisha and half a million people in Bengal have been evacuated from their homes, reported NDTV. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took stock of the situation in coastal districts, where heavy rain coupled with strong winds have started. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced she will stay at the state secretariat on May 26 night to monitor the rescue & relief operation. Flight operations at the Kolkata airport have been suspended from 8:30 am to 7:45 pm on May 26, reported news agency ANI quoting airport administration.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 26, 2021 12:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).