Cyclone Yaas: Bengal CM Mamata to spend night in office, 9 lakh evacuated

• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she will stay at the state secretariat tonight in view of Cyclone Yaas. The TMC supremo added that nearly 9 lakh people have been evacuated to various relief centres. “We have evacuated around 9 lakh people in view of Cyclone Yaas. We are monitoring the situation 24*7. We have set up war rooms at block levels and senior officials have been given responsibilities to oversee co-ordination. The Chief Secretary and Home Secretary are constantly in touch with the district magistrates,” she said. The CM added, “We will stay in Nabanna (the state secretariat) tonight to monitor the situation closely. The cyclonic storm is expected to make landfall tomorrow following which we will be able to ascertain the amount of destruction.” Severe cyclone Yaas is expected to hit the West Bengal-Odisha coast on Wednesday noon. The cyclonic storm is likely to make landfall with wind speeds of up to 185 kilometre/hour.