Cyclone Yaas hits North Odisha, one killed in Bangladesh

Highlights-

• Cyclone Yaas hits North Odisha, one killed
• Odisha's Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore districts are likely to be most badly affected
• Around 2.5 lakh people have been shifted from low-lying regions in Odisha
• A man died last night after being struck by falling tree in Bhola
• 18 Navy ships and Coast Guard are ready for rescue and relief work in Bangladesh
• Cyclone Yaas will cross the coast between Odisha's Dhamra and Balasore in the next three hours
• Kolkata's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport will be closed till 7.45 pm
• Indian Railways has announced the cancellation of at least 38 long-distance passenger trains headed to both Kolkata and southern states

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Heavy rain and strong winds have started battering the coastal districts of West Bengal since early morning on Wednesday as very severe Cyclone Yaas made a landfall around 9am over Odisha and West Bengal coasts.

One person has died in Odisha as Cyclone Yaas made landfall. Northern Odisha coast is battered by heavy winds.

Bangladesh Navy has prepared 18 warships for the emergency rescue and relief work after Cyclone Yass passes.

Besides, the Coast Guard in the western part of the Sundarbans is ready to carry out rescue operations from the potential damage of cyclone Yaas in the coastal region.

A group of guards has been stationed in the Nildumur Keyaghat area of Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira since Wednesday morning.

Lieutenant Atahar Ali, the officer-in-charge of the coast guard's west zone disaster management team, told TBS that one platoon (32 members) of coast guard members is now on the field as well as ten trawlers, and two speed boats for the rescue operation.

A man was reportedly killed in Bhola, many trees were uprooted and low lying areas inundated in Bangladesh's southern districts as "very severe cyclonic storm" Cyclone Yaas is approaching towards coast.

Though the cyclone is going to hit north Odisha in India by noon, but many coastal areas in Bangladesh have reported gusty winds and light to moderate rain since Tuesday noon.

A man named Abu Taher, 49, was killed when a tree fell on him in Bhola in the storm due to cyclone Yaas. The incident took place at Kalama Union of Lalmohan Upazila on Tuesday night.  Maksudur Rahman Murad, officer-in-charge of Lalmohan Police Station, confirmed the incident. According to the locals, the storm started in the upazila under influence of the cyclone from evening.

The coastal river has become turbulent due to the impact of severe cyclonic storm Yaas leading the water level to increase than usual.

Satkhira Meteorological Department Officer-in-Charge Zulfiqar Ali said, "It is unlikely that the epicenter of Yaas will enter the country as it is 300-kilometer away from Mongla coast and has reached the coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal."

In Bangladesh, the impact of the storm can be felt around noon on Wednesday with tidal waves rising as high as three to six meters and squalls at a speed of 80-100 kmph.

The lowlands and char areas of several coastal districts have been flooded due to the combined effect of impending super cyclone Yaas and full moon tidal wave increasing water levels of rivers.  

In Satkhira, water has entered parts of Gabura union of Shamnagar upazila and 43 points of the Kopotakkho River embankment are at risk.

Coastal Shyamnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer ANM Abuzar Ghiffari said that the water development board has been informed to stay prepared so they can start repairing the damage immediately.

The coastal areas of the Bay of Bengal in Cox's Bazar is rough due to Cyclone Yaas and full moon. 

The tidal waves are rising a few feet higher than normal and crashing into the coast flooding several coastal areas including Ali Akbar Dale, North Dhurung, Lemshikhali, Moheshkhali's Dhalghata, Matarbari, St. Martin's Island, Shahpari island in Teknaf, Gomatali in Cox's Bazar Sadar.

Due to cyclone, the southern districts of Bangladesh are experiencing stormy weather and flash-floods.

Different low lying areas of Bhola, Barguna and Satkhira were inundated by the extra height of tidal surge since Tuesday noon. Tidal water already reached thousands of households in Bhola and inundated some areas of Barguna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts.

Due to cyclone Yaas, 38 long-distance South-bound and Kolkata-bound passenger trains have been cancelled from 24 to 29 May, informed India's Railways Public Relations Officer (PRO).

Light to moderate rainfall are expected at most places in Odisha, West Bengal, and Jharkhand in the wake of the impending landfall of Cyclone Yaas, said India Meteorological Department (IMD).

India's weather department has also predicted heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in these states.

Odisha's districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore districts are likely to be affected. In Bengal, the districts of West Midnapore, North and South 24 Parganas -- and state capital Kolkata -- may experience storm with wind speeds of up to 120 km per hour.

Around 3 million people in Odisha and half a million people in Bengal have been evacuated from their homes. Officials said it has been a challenge to provide them accommodation while maintaining social distancing.

Indian army has deployed 17 columns-- each with around 100 men --  in Bengal, nine of them have been stationed in Kolkata. The rest are in Purulia, Birbhum, Bardhaman, Howrah Hooghly, Nadia and North 24 Parganas districts.Besides, National Disaster Response Force teams, 54,000 officers and relief workers, 2 lakh police and Home Guard personnel, will also be deployed.

Flight operations at the Kolkata airport will be suspended from 8:30 am to 7:45 pm today, reported news agency ANI quoting airport administration.  

Yaas, over northwest bay and adjoining area, moved north-northwestwards over the same area and was centred at 03 am today about 515-km southwest of Chattogram port, 505-km southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 320-km south- southwest of Mongla port, and 350-km south - southwest of Payra port.Maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox's bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number 3.

Under the influence of very severe cyclone, Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, Barguna, Patuakhali, Barishal, Bhola, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Feni, Chandpur and Chattogram and their offshore islands and chars are likely to experience wind speed up to 80-100 kph in gusts/ squalls with heavy to very heavy falls during the passage of the storm.