Full moon, lunar eclipse may worsen Cyclone Yaas impact, says IMD

Cyclone Yaas began making landfall on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the IMD warned that the Cyclone Yaas's post-landfall impact might be worsened due to spring tides resulting from the full moon.

Cyclone Yaas began making landfall Wednesday morning, crossing the Indian East Coast near Dhamra port in Odisha. This "very severe cyclonic storm" comes on a full moon day that coincides with a lunar eclipse. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the Cyclone Yaas's post-landfall impact might be worsened due to spring tides resulting from the full moon and lunar eclipse. "The damage would be the maximum in the coastal districts of East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas," the Hindustan Times quoted Sanjib Banerjee, deputy director, IMD Kolkata, as saying. "The storm surge triggered by the cyclone at East Midnapore district would be 2-4 metres, while in South 24 Parganas it would be 1-2 metres. This is over and above the astronomical tide [spring tide]," said Banerjee.