Indian Coast Guard personnel carry out rescue and relief works during landfall process of Cyclone Yaas in Odisha, Wednesday, May 26, 2021.
No loss of life or property at sea was reported due to the extensive pre-emptive measures undertaken on the Eastern seaboard and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, commencing as early as May 19, the Indian Coast Guard said as Cyclone Yaas made landfall on Wednesday morning.
Nearly 700 people were rescued from flooded areas in East Midnapore in West Bengal by the Indian Army, while about 100 stranded people at Nayachara were rescued by the Coast Guard air cushion vehicle as part of the ongoing post-cyclone relief operations.
“It may be recalled that as part of the cyclone preventive measures, Coast Guard had already ensured safe return of 265 fishing boats which were out at sea. Further, as advised, ships at anchorage off Odisha and West Bengal coast had taken safe shelter and single point mooring operations were suspended, the Coast Guard said. “Nil reports of any damage or loss has been received from any merchant ships,” it stated.
A disaster response team has been dispatched to Digha for assistance to the local administration. In addition, three ships, which were positioned at sea beyond the path of the cyclone for possible search and rescue missions, are approaching close to the Odisha and West Bengal coast from the rear of the storm for carrying out close to coast situational assessment while also sanitising the area, the Coast Guard added.
The Army said a total of 17 columns were prepositioned in West Bengal, and three columns and one engineer task force in Odisha for assistance to the State administration. In order to provide immediate support to people in the emerging situation due to Cyclone Yaas, briefing, joint recce, liaison and coordination with the West Bengal State government had been completed, it stated.
A horse crosses a water-logged road after rains ahead of Cyclone Yaas at Digha in Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal, on May 26, 2021. Cautioning people that high tide in seas, caused by the storm surge, would persist, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee claimed that Bengal happens to be the "most-affected state".
A priest carries an idol of Lord Jagannath from a seafront temple to a safer place in Balasore district in Odisha, May 26, 2021. Several places, including Odisha's Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts, and neighbouring West Bengal's Kanthi, Diamond harbour, Basirhat, Tamluk, Uluberia are expected to experience ingress of the storm surge.
A cow runs through high tide water at the Digha beach on the Bay of Bengal coast as Cyclone Yaas intensifies in West Bengal, May 26, 2021. Water levels of several rivers including Bidyadhari, Hooghly and Rupnarayan have risen owing to 'Yaas' and accompanying storm surge.
High tide water enters into the village area in Bahanaga panchayat in Balasore district after the storm on May 25, 2021. Cyclone 'Yaas' made its landfall on Wednesday morning near Dhamra port in Odisha at 130-140 kmph, gusting to 155 kmph, according to Doppler radar data.
Rough sea during landfall of cyclone near the Bay of Bengal in East Midnapore district, May 26, 2021. Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state police and civil defence volunteers were working round-the-clock to move people to safety.
People wade through waterlogged street at Gheri village in Chandipur of Balasore district, on May 26, 2021. The West Bengal chief minister further said that as many as 15,04,506 people have been evacuated from the vulnerable areas in the state and moved to safer places.
Indian Army's Eastern Command spearheads response for rescue and relief operations in West Bengal in preparations for Cyclone Yaas, which is likely to make landfall on May 26. Credit: PIB
NDRF personnel remove a falling electric pole at Bahanaga panchayat in Balasore district. The NDRF, together with the district administration of Jagatsinghpur in Odisha, has rescued 10 people from a river after their boat capsized, amid rough weather conditions under the influence of cyclone 'Yaas'.
A man looks at a car damaged due to Cyclone Yaas that made a landfall Wednesday at Digha on the Bay of Bengal coast, West Bengal on Thursday, May 27, 2021.
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On May 24, the Navy made functional a 24x7 cyclone monitoring team to closely monitor the very severe cyclonic storm Yaas as it crossed the coast. INS Chilka at Khurda in Odisha has made necessary arrangements to coordinate rescue and relief operations in liaison with State agencies, the Navy said. “Assorted relief material and community kitchen for thousand people are being made ready for immediate deployment in consultation with state authorities,” it added.
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