Cyclone Yaas | Odisha shifts over 2 lakh people to cyclone shelters by 4 p.m.

Dry foods have been pre-positioned in shelters and three government officers would remain in charge of each shelter.

Police at a cyclone shelter home at Balaramgadi in Balasore district, May 25, 2021

The Odisha government has shifted 2,10,621 people to different shelters in 15 districts amidst heavy rain under the influence of very severe cyclone, Yaas, by Tuesday afternoon.

In Balasore district, 74,132 people were in different cyclone shelters and other additional buildings while Bhadrak district the administration evacuated 73,103 people by 4 p.m. The evacuation would continue till late night.

Dry foods have been pre-positioned in shelters and three government officers would remain in charge of each shelter.

Cyclone Yaas tracker | May 25, 2021

The latest bulletin issued by India Meteorological Department says, “the severe cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’ over westcentral and adjoining east-central and north Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of about 16 kmph during past 6 hours, and lay centred, about 220 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 330 km south-southeast of Balasore (Odisha), 320 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal) and 320 kms south of Sagar Islands (West Bengal).”

“It is very likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. It would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach Northwest Bay of Bengal near north Odisha coast very close to Dhamra port by the early morning of Wednesday (May 26),” says the bulletin.