Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 23 May, held a meeting with senior government officials, representatives from the National Disaster Management Authority, and secretaries from the telecom, power, civil aviation, earth sciences ministries, to review the preparations for Cyclone Yaas.
PM Modi has directed senior officers to work in close co-ordination with states to ensure safe evacuation of people from high-risk areas. He also instructed all concerned departments to ensure timely evacuation of those involved in off-shore activities.
Just days after Cyclone Tauktae on the west coast, now India's east coast is preparing for a possible cyclone. According to the Met Department, the low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a 'very severe cyclonic storm' and hit West Bengal and Odisha by 26 May.
"A marked low-pressure system will be developed over the east-central Bay of Bengal. It is likely to become a depression during the next 12 hours and move north-northwestwards direction. The cyclonic storm will intensify by 24 May and reach north Odisha, West Bengal and Bangladesh coast on 26 May," the deputy director at IMD in Bhubaneswar told news agency ANI.
NDRF, Army Make Preparations
Preparations are being made at multiple levels for the impending cyclone. Eighteen teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are positioned in different parts of Odisha, while four are on standby. Eleven NDRF teams have been deployed in West Bengal and the Navy also has ships and aircraft on standby.
Two columns and two Engineer Task Forces in Odisha and eight columns and one Engineer Task Force in West Bengal are ready and on standby for rescue and relief operations, the army said.
The Odisha government has ordered the evacuation of those at risk.
Several trains have been cancelled as a precautionary measure because of the cyclone.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a high-level meeting on Thursday with the chief secretary, health secretary and disaster management authorities over the cyclone.
Power, Telecom and Health Ministers Take Measures
The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has also taken measures to secure all oil installations in the sea and to bring back their vessels to safe harbour. Ministry of Power has activated emergency response systems and is keeping in readiness transformers, DG sets and equipment, etc for immediate restoration of electricity.
The Ministry of Telecom is keeping all the telecom towers and exchanges under constant watch and is fully geared up to restore the telecom network.
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has issued advisory to the states/ UTs, likely to be affected, for health sector preparedness and response on COVID in affected areas.
The Ministry of Port, Shipping and Waterways has taken measures to secure all vessels and has deployed emergency vessels (tugs).
(With inputs from ANI.)
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