New Delhi: Cyclone Yaas is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and cross the Odisha and the West Bengal coasts on May 26, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
A low pressure area formed over the east-central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining north Andaman Sea on Saturday.
While a low pressure area is the first stage of formation of a cyclone, it is not necessary that all low pressure areas will intensify into cyclonic storms.
"The low pressure area is very likely to concentrate into a depression over eastcentral Bay of Bengal by tomorrow, the 23rd May morning. It is very likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify into a Cyclonic Storm by 24th May and further into a very severe cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours," the IMD said.
It would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach north Bay of Bengal near West Bengal and the adjoining north Odisha and Bangladesh coasts by the morning of May 26, it said.
It is very likely to cross West Bengal and the adjoining north Odisha and Bangladesh coasts around the evening of 26th May, the IMD added.
Last week, extremely severe cyclone Tauktae hit the Gujarat coast and left a trail of destruction all over the western coast.
As it weakened further, its impact was felt across the north Indian plains and even in the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
The April-May and the October-December periods are also known to witness cyclones.
Last May saw the formation of two cyclones one in the Bay of Bengal (super cyclonic storm Amphan) and the other in the Arabian Sea (severe cyclonic storm Nisarga) that hit the Indian coasts.
NDRF prepares for Cyclone Yaas
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 around May 26-27.
Some of the teams dispatched to undertake evacuation, rescue and restoration work in states affected by Cyclone Tauktae on the western coast are being called back, the officials said.
NDRF Director General S N Pradhan tweeted that the force has decided to "airlift" West Bengal and Odisha-based teams of the force in view of Cyclone Yaas and its "possible impact" in the coastal districts of the two states.
The exact number of NDRF teams to be earmarked for the latest cyclone will be decided as per inputs received from the India Meteorological Department. The situation is developing, the officials said.
The central force had earmarked a total of 101 teams for the extremely severe cyclonic storm Tauktae that developed in the Arabian Sea and mainly affected the costal areas of Gujarat and states like Maharashtra and Goa, apart from a few others on the western coastline of the country.
Tauktae made landfall on Monday night near Una town in Gir Somnath district of Gujarat and wreaked havoc for around 28 hours before it weakened into a depression.
Each NDRF team has 47 personnel who are equipped with tree and pole cutters, communication gadgets, inflatable boats and basic medical aid.
Due to the COVID-19 spread, these teams have been provided orange-coloured full-bodied personal protection gear that includes a face shield for each rescuer.
The NDRF has earlier said that most of its troops deployed for these operations have been vaccinated for coronavirus.
Talking about Yaas, the IMD had on Thursday said that a low pressure area is very likely to form over north Andaman Sea and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal around May 22.
The name Yaas has been given to the potential cyclone by Oman, as per a standard protocol of naming such cyclonic storms in rotation by affected countries in the same area. The name Tauktae was given by Myanmar, and it means gecko or a small lizard.
