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Ten more NDRF teams rushed to Odisha as Cyclone Yaas approaches
Northern Odisha districts of Balasore and Bhadrak are likely to witness heavy to very rainfall and some places may receive over 20 cm rainfall. Apart from Balasore and Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara are likely to be most affected while Cuttack and Mayurbhanj districts would receive heavy rain.
Ten more NDRF teams are going to be airlifted to Odisha by Sunday night in addition to the existing 22 as the Indian Meteorological Department said that very severe cyclonic storm Yaas is likely to make landfall between Paradip port of Odisha and Sagar Islands of West Bengal on the evening of May 26 with a wind speed of 155-165 kmph during landfall.
NDRF director general SN Pradhan said 10 teams of NDRF deployed in Gujarat for tackling post-disaster relief work in the wake of Cyclone Tauktae would be airlifted to Odisha by tonight. Already 18 teams of NDRF have been deployed in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Mayurbhanj district while another 4 teams are on standby.
IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the well-marked low pressure over the Bay of Bengal had turned into a depression and would intensify into a cyclonic storm by Monday morning. The wind speed will reach 40-50 kmph on May 24 and further gain pace on May 25 when the speed will be 50-60 kmph. On May 26, the wind speed will be 90-100 kmph. During landfall, the wind speed will be 155 to 165 kmph with gusts upto 185 kmph.
Under its impact, high waves along the Odisha coast are likely to rise up to 6 metres between May 23 evening to May 26 night along the coast of Odisha from Gopalpur to Chandipur.
Northern Odisha districts of Balasore and Bhadrak are likely to witness heavy to very rainfall and some places may receive over 20 cm rainfall. Apart from Balasore and Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara are likely to be most affected while Cuttack and Mayurbhanj districts would receive heavy rain.
Odisha’s Development Commissioner-cum-Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena visited Balasore district and held a meeting with officials to review the preparedness for Cyclone Yaas. Jena who held a meeting over video conference with BDOs, Tahasildars, Block Education Officers, police personnel and Rural Drinking Water Supply and sanitation officials ordered that people staying in thatched huts, houses on the shoreline and makeshift dwellings be evacuated to 18 cyclone shelters and 29 schools.
To ensure that the Covid-19 infection does not spread among the evacuees, sufficient masks and sanitisers have been stocked in the cyclone shelters.
