Heavy rains lash several parts of Odisha as severe cyclonic storm Yaas moves close to Dharmra coast
Bhubaneswar: Several parts of Odisha witnessed heavy rains for the past few hours as the Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Yaas’ over East Central Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards.
IMD sources said it is very likely to move north-northwestwards, intensifying further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during the next 12 hours.
It would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach Northwest Bay of Bengal near north Odisha and West Bengal coasts very close to Chandbali-Dhamra port by the early morning of May 26 next.
The IMD has already issued a Red Warning for Balasore, Bhadrak,Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur districts of Odisha where heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at a few places with isolated extremely heavy falls.
Special Relief Commissioner( SRC ) Pradip Kumar Jena said the evacuation process from the vulnerable areas along the coast has already started and by this morning over 15,000 people have been evacuated to safer places and kept in cyclone shelters.The evacuation process, he said will continue till this afternoon.
The Odisha government has already deployed 52 NDRF teams, 60 ORDF teams and 206 Fire services teams besides 404 Rescue teams in the relief and rescue operation in the areas likely to be affected by the very Severe Cyclonic storm Yaas.
The government has also cancelled leave applications of all employees till May 31and asked the employees to return to their respective headquarters forthwith.
In view of expected landfall of the Cyclone YAAS at Balasore,Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed Minister of state for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra to proceed to Balasore today and camp there to monitor the situation.
Mr Patnaik during his discussion with Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed him that the state is fully prepared and officers are in touch with the officers of the Union government.
The state government has deputed ten senior IAS and IPS officers to five districts- Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Mayurbhanj, likely to be badly affected by the cyclone Yaas to help the district administration in the relief , rescue and cyclone management.