Cyclone Yaas to intensify into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm in next few hours, says IMD

Cyclone Yaas is 'very likely' to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Island around Balasore, during noon of May 26 as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm, the weather department said.

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday (May 25, 2021) predicted that Cyclone Yaas is going to intensify into a 'Very Severe Cyclonic Storm' in the next few hours. As per a weather bulletin released at 2 AM, the Cyclonic Storm Yaas over East-central Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of about 10 kmph during the past 6 hours, intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm and lay centred at 2330 hrs of May 24 over East-central Bay of Bengal near latitude 17.6°N and longitude 89.0°E, about 390 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 490 km south-southeast of Balasore (Odisha), 470 km south-southeast of Digha (West Bengal) and 500 kms south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh). "It is very likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during next 12 hours. It would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach Northwest Bay of Bengal near north Odisha and West Bengal coasts by May 26 early morning," the IMD said.