More than a million evacuated as powerful Cyclone Yaas hits land in eastern India

A woman stands next to her stall damaged by heavy winds at a shore ahead of Cyclone Yaas in Bichitrapur
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Sarah Harvey26 May 2021

More than 1.1 million people have evacuated low-lying areas as a cyclone hits part of India's eastern coast on Wednesday.

Cyclone Yaas has already caused two deaths and damage to homes as severe weather and rains affect Odisha and West Bengal states.

The "very severe cyclonic storm" has sustained winds of 130-140kmh (up to 87 mph) that are gusting up to 155kmh (97 mph), the India Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.

A tornado snapped electricity lines that electrocuted two people and damaged 40 houses in West Bengal's Hooghly district on Tuesday, the top state elected official Mamata Banerjee said.

Kolkata airport is shut until 8 pm and train services were cancelled before the storm as a precaution, the railroad department said.

The cyclone has dumped more than 17cm (6.5 inches) of rain in Chandabali and Paradip regions of Odisha state since Tuesday, the meteorological department said. Tidal waves of up to 4m (13 feet) are likely to flood some low-lying areas.

A satellite image shows Cyclone Yaas approaching India's eastern coast
AP

At least 20 districts in West Bengal state were expected to feel the brunt of the storm. Fishing trawlers and boats were told to take shelter.

The cyclone coming amid a devastating coronavirus surge complicates India's efforts to deal with both after another storm, Cyclone Tauktae, hit India's west coast last week and killed more than 140 people.

Odisha's chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, appealed to people being moved to cyclone shelters to wear double masks and maintain social distancing. "We have to face both the challenges simultaneously," Patnaik said.

Thousands of emergency personnel have been deployed to help evacuate people and prepare for possible rescue operations, said S.N. Pradhan, director of India's National Disaster Response Force. India's air force and navy were also on standby to carry out relief work.

A year ago, the most powerful cyclone in more than a decade hit eastern India. Nearly 100 people died in Cyclone Amphan, which flattened villages and destroyed farms in eastern India and Bangladesh.

"We haven't been able to fix the damage to our home from the last cyclone. Now another cyclone is coming, how will we stay here?" said Samitri, who uses only one name.

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