Bhubaneswar: With very severe cyclonic storm Yaas inching towards Odisha, flight operations from the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar have been suspended from 11 pm on Tuesday.
Director of BPIA, VV Rao informed that the airport will remain closed for operations till 5 am on May 27 as a precautionary measure. The decision has been taken on the basis of the India Metrological Department’s cyclone forecast, he added.
The Severe Cyclonic Storm, which had intensified into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm over northwest Bay of Bengal, is likely to reach Odisha coast by 5.30 am on Wednesday and make landfall between north of Dhamra and south of Balasore as a very severe cyclonic with a wind speed of 155-166 km.
Bhubaneswar airport had suffered “significant damage” during cyclone Fani in May 2019.