Bhubaneswar: Will Yaas be the ninth cyclone to hit Odisha after 1999?
Though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is yet to confirm the exact landfall place, the predicted path points at north Balasore. “It is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar islands around Balasore, during noon of May 26 as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm,” the Met department said.
All reputed models, including US-GFS, ECMWF, Japan Metrological Agency, Germany Weather Agency, American Navy and JTWC, have agreed on 21 deg North and 86.9 deg East ( between Kendrapada and Balasore).
According to SkymetWeather, the landfall is likely in north Odisha (Balasore district) close to West Bengal.
While 12 ODRAF units have already been deployed in Balasore for relief and rescue, 1.20 lakh people will be evacuated from low-lying areas adjacent to the coast.
The IMD further said that tidal waves of height 2-4 metres above astronomical tide are likely to inundate low-lying coastal areas of Jhargram, south 24 Parganas, Medinipur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada and Jagatsighpur districts.
It has also forecast wind speed reaching 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph along and off Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Balasore districts, and 90-120 kmph gusting to 145 kmph over Khurda and Puri districts at the time of landfall.
The state had earlier been hit by Phailin in October 2013, Hudhud in October 2014, Daye in September 2018, Titli in October 2018, Phethai in December 2018, Fani in May 2019, Bulbul in November 2019 and Amphan in May 2020.
