Cyclone Yaas has gathered more strength to turn into a “very severe” storm, powering through the Bay of Bengal towards India’s east coast.
Meteorologists have forecast that the cyclone will bypass Bangladesh if it maintains its current course, but the government was preparing to tackle damage from possible heavy rains and floods in the coastal districts.
Around 15,000 shelters have been prepared for 2.5 million people for evacuation. People from some remote shoals were moved to the shelters on Tuesday, reports bdnews24.com.
India was moving over a million people to safety from low-lying areas as meteorologists said the cyclone is likely to make landfall someplace between Paradeep island in Odisha and Sagar island in West Bengal by Wednesday noon.
The centre of the storm may pass through Odisha’s Balasore. The outer reach is likely to hit Balasore in the morning.
At Tuesday midnight, the storm was 140 kilometres from Paradeep and 210 kilometres from Sagar island. From Bangladesh’s ports, the distance to the storm centre was between 345 km and 500 km.
The ports have been asked to keep hoisted warning signal No. 3, which means the vessels at the ports may be hit by wind of up to 50 km per hour.
All fishing boats and trawlers have been advised to remain in shelter until further notice.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 74 km of the cyclone’s centre was about 120 kph rising to 140 kph in gusts or squalls. Sea will remain high near the centre.
The authorities have also shut all river transports as an additional precaution.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the coastal districts and their offshore islands and shoals are likely to experience wind speed of up to 80-100 kph in gusts or squalls with heavy to very heavy falls during the passage of the storm.
These districts include Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, Borguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Bhola, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur and Chattogram.
Under the influence of the full moon phase and the cyclone, the low-lying areas of these districts are likely to be inundated by astronomical tide of three to four feet above the normal height.
The storm could threaten the habitat of many creatures in the Sundarbans if it crashes into the coasts during full moon which will create huge tidal waves.
Wednesday is a public holiday in Bangladesh for the Buddhist festival of Buddha Purnima, but the officials of relevant agencies in the coastal districts have been asked to work, the disaster management and relief ministry said in a statement.
Bangladesh Air Force kept its planes and helicopters at the ready for search and rescue operations, and the transportation of aid.
A freak tornado that some experts said was linked to the incoming storm snapped electricity lines, which electrocuted two people, and damaged around 45 houses in West Bengal's Hooghly district.
In all, the state had already moved around 900,000 people in several coastal districts to storm shelters, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters.
But neighbouring Odisha state appeared likely to face the brunt of Cyclone Yaas - the second cyclone to hit the country in a week - where officials also began moving people in cars and boats into storm shelters and other sturdy structures.
In Odisha's Balasore district, close to where the cyclone is expected to make landfall, volunteers broadcast alerts over megaphones, urging people to move.
Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal are common at this time of year, and often roar ashore, causing deaths and destruction in coastal areas of both India and Bangladesh.
Last week, Cyclone Tauktae - the most powerful cyclone to hit India's west cost in more than two decades - killed more than 150 people.
A devastating second wave of coronavirus infections complicated storm preparations. Officials in Odisha said they were conducting antigen tests and temperature checks, and isolating people with COVID-19 symptoms.
[With details from Reuters]
