Cyclone Yaas: At least 4 dead, more than 20 lakh evacuated as cyclonic storm pounds Odisha, West Bengal

As per report, two persons were killed - one each in Odisha's Keonjhar and Balasore- after trees fell on them. An elderly woman in Mayurbhanj reportedly died after her house collapsed. However, there is no official confirmation yet.

Pic Courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: At least four people reportedly lost their lives in Odisha and West Bengal as Cyclone Yaas pounded the eastern coast on Wednesday (May 26). 

As per PTI report, two persons were killed - one each in Keonjhar and Balasore- after trees fell on them. An elderly woman in Mayurbhanj reportedly died after her house collapsed. However, there is no official confirmation yet.

While West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said one crore people were affected in the state due to the cyclone. She informed that one person died "accidentally" when he had gone out fishing. "At least one crore people were impacted, and three lakh houses and 134 embankments damaged," Banerjee told reporters. 

In view of the cyclonic storm, around 21 lakh people were evacuated to safe shelters in West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.

Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced seven days' relief for all the villages marooned due to Cyclone Yaas. 

Around 128 villages across the coastal region of the state remain inundated after the cyclonic storm hit Odisha. Most of these affected villages are in Balasore and Bhadrak districts, PTI quoted sources as saying. 

The CM directed officials to ensure that all major roads affected by the cyclone be repaired along with 80 per cent of electricity supply being restored within the next 24 hours in the areas recovering from the cyclone. Nearly 605 roads have been damaged of which 495 have been repaired in Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Balasore, Bdahrak districts. 

The people in these 128 villages will be provided with cooked food or cooking materials and dry food for seven days. "Local panchayat bodies and block-level officials will make the arrangements for it", Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena said.

Cyclone Yaas made landfall around 9 am near Dhamra port in Odisha on Wednesday with heavy downpour, gusty winds pounding the coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal.  

Meanwhile, the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar and the East Coast Railway resumed operations from Wednesday evening, officials told the news agency. In the wake of the cyclone, the airport had suspended flight services for about 20 hours while the ECoR had cancelled 124 trains. 

(With PTI inputs)