Mamata Banerjee chairs high-level meet over IMD alert on Cyclone Yaas

File photo

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is chairing a high-level meeting with the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Health Secretary, Disaster Management Team, Civil Defence and District Magistrate of coast districts on Cyclone Yaas. According to reports, the Chief Minister is expected to review the preparedness and give necessary instructions to officials to ensure all possible safety measures are taken to evacuate people. 

According to reports, the meeting is currently underway. 

On May 19, the India Meteorological Department predicted that a new cyclonic storm, named Cyclone Yaas, is expected to start forming in the Bay of Bengal by May 22. "Low pressure of the new cyclonic storm is expected to start forming in the Bay of Bengal by May 22. May 23 should mark the depression stage, and the final cyclonic storm is expected to hit by May 24-25," RK Jenamani, senior scientist, National Weather Forecasting Centre, IMD told ANI.

Cyclone Yaas, a name given by Oman, is expected to form by May 23 and will then make landfall by May 27-28 in coastal districts of Odisha and West Bengal. Authorities in both states are preparing their response forces.

Under the influence of the system, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya are likely to receive light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy falls at isolated places from the evening of May 25, the weather department said.