Odisha, West Bengal on high alert over Cyclone Yaas

The Deep Depression over East Central Bay of Bengal remained practically stationary during the past 6 hours, intensified into Cyclonic Storm Yaas.

Yaas lay centred at 5:30 am on Monday near latitude 16.3°N and longitude 89.7°E, about 600 km north northwest of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 540 km south southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 650 km south southeast of Balasore (Odisha) and 630 km south southeast of Digha (West Bengal).It is very likely to move slowly north northwest awards, intensify further into a Severe Cyclonic Storm during next 24 hours and into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during subsequent 24 hours.

It would continue to move north northwest awards, intensify further and reach Northwest Bay of Bengal near north Odisha and West Bengal coasts by May 26 early morning. It is very likely to cross north Odisha­West

Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar islands around noon of May 26 as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm.

The officials of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) are already deployed on ground to manage the situation.

Large number of people along the coastal areas in West Bengal have been displaced and fishermen have been instructed not to go to the sea.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who held a meeting with the concerned authorities and ministries last week, will spend two nights on Tuesday and Wednesday at CMO building, Upanna where a control room will be opened.