- At least five were killed as the severe cyclone storm, Yaas battered the eastern coast on May 26. The storm packed lashing rain and winds gusting up to 155 kilometres (96 miles) an hour, the equivalent to a category two hurricane.
The severe cyclonic storm, Yaas weakened into a deep depression, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday. It will continue to move northwestwards and weaken gradually into a depression during the next 12 hours, it also said in its bulletin on Twitter.
At least five were killed as the severe cyclone storm, Yaas battered the eastern coast on May 26. The storm packed lashing rain and winds gusting up to 155 kilometres (96 miles) an hour, the equivalent to a category two hurricane.
In West Bengal, authorities said that around 1,100 villages had been flooded by storm surges, leaving at least 50,000 homeless, news agency Reuters reported.
In the neighbouring Odisha, around 120 villages were swamped by heavy rain and sea water whipped up by the cyclone but people in most areas had already been moved to storm shelters.
Cyclones are a regular menace in the northern Indian Ocean but many but over the last years the frequency of intense cyclones have increased. Scientists say it is because of climate change warming the waters of the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
“As per the study, this increasing trend in intense cyclone frequency, can be related to climate change but analysis and studies (on this) are not sufficient,” India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said. He also said that every year, around five cyclones develop in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
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MAY 27, 2021 08:52 AM IST
Deep depression over south Jharkhand as cyclone moves northwestwards
Deep Depression over south Jharkhand and adjoining north interior Odisha moved northwestwards with about 07 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centred over south Jharkhand and neighbourhood, says IMD.
It is very likely to move nearly northwards and weaken gradually into a Depression during the next 06 hours, the weather department also said.
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MAY 27, 2021 08:05 AM IST
7 Navy teams begins relief operations in West Bengal
Seven Indian Navy teams from Visakhapatnam undertake relief operations in aftermath of impending Cyclone Yaas. The teams comprising 2 Diving and 5 Flood Relief Teams (FRT) are working at 3 separate locations-Digha, Fraserganj & Diamond Harbour in West Bengal, said Indian Navy in a statement on Thursday.
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MAY 27, 2021 06:27 AM IST
Light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms likely in Kolkata, east and west Midnapore
Thunderstorm with lightning and light to moderate rainfall likely to affect parts of Kolkata, East and West Midnapore districts of West Bengal during next 1-2 hours from 0555 hours today: Regional Meteorological Centre.
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MAY 27, 2021 06:01 AM IST
Severe cyclone storm ‘Yaas’ weakens into deep depression: IMD