Cyclone Yaas, which is gathering steam, is likely to make landfall between Sagar Islands and Paradip as a very severe cyclonic storm on 26 May evening with wind speeds of about 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph, which is almost the same as cyclones Tauktaeand Amphan.
The cyclone, which is in its initial stage as a depression lay centred about 670 km south-southeast of Digha at around 11.30 a.m. It is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm by the next morning and further into a very severe cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours.
The wind speeds with which the cyclone is about to cross the coastal belts of West Bengal and North Odisha ~ about 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph ~ is on the high side. The scale of devastation that it could cause can be gauged from the fact that the expected wind speed of Yaas is almost that of cyclones Tauktae and Amphan, according to the director of India Meteorological Department, M Mohapatra.
According to Sanjib Bandhopadhyay of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Kolkata, districts like East Midnapore, West Midnapore, South 24-Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly are likely to receive light to moderate rainfall as early as 25 May. On the day of the cyclone, the rainfall is expected to spread with increased intensity.
Extremely heavy showers are likely to occur in Kolkata along with East Midnapore, West Midnapore, South 24 Parganas, North 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Jhargram. On 27 May, the rainfall is expected to shift toward North Bengal, according to Mr Bandhopadhyay.
According to the Met officials, who have issued an orange warning to almost 15 districts of the state for 26 May, the coastal districts near the North Bay of Bengal tomorrow, may experience wind at a speed of 40-50 kmph gusting at 60 kmph during the evening hours.
While Yaas crosses West Bengal, the speed will increase, reaching about 155-165 kmph gusting at 185 kmph.