News from Odisha

The cyclonic storm over east-central Bay of Bengal intensified into a severe cyclonic storm late on Monday night. It will intensify further and transform into very severe category storm in next 12 hours.

Water from Hirakud reservoir will be released into Mahanadi after June 1, informed the Additional Chief Engineer, Hirakud Head Works & Additional Spillway at Burla in Sambalpur.

The Odisha government on Monday fixed special labour rate and food allowance for labours engaged in post cyclone restoration works.

During electrical restoration work in the aftermath of cyclone or other disaster, use of generator sets for private purposes from 6 AM to 6 PM is prohibited as the back current from the generator may endanger the lives of electrical workers engaged in repair/ restoration of electrical supply lines and infrastructure

The special weather bulletin issued by the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre on Monday evening further confirmed the likely landfall area of Cyclone Yaas between Paradip and Sagar islands, around Balasore district.

Persons coming to Odisha for the purpose of relief, repair, restoration and any other associated activities of cyclone management shall be exempted from producing RT-PCR negative report and Covid final vaccination certificate for entering into the State

It is imperative that all the State Government offices and officials remain in a state of readiness

As Cyclone Yaas comes closer to make a likely landfall in Balasore district, the Odisha government has suspended the ongoing COVID vaccination, testing and door to door survey in three sensitive districts from May 25 to 27.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said the State is facing two major threats- Covid-19 and cyclone 'Yaas'- and sought full cooperation of all to tackle the twin challenges.

With the latest update from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) that the Cyclone Yaas is likely to make landfall somewhere around Balasore district, the State machinery is gearing up to evacuate vulnerable people from its path.

In a mysterious occurrence, hundreds of dead jellyfish were spotted washed ashore at the Puri sea beach on Monday.

As many as 52 NDRF teams will be pressed into service in post cyclone rescue and relief operations. 22 teams have already arrived while 30 more will reach the State by tonight.

With the memory of Fani and the horrors it unleashed still fresh, people were seen rushing to the market at various areas across Odisha to stock up on essential goods as impending cyclone ‘Yaas’ nears

Coastal districts in the northern parts of the State including  Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Balasore and Bhadrak are most likely bear the brunt of cyclone ‘Yaas’ which is likely to hit the coasts between North Odisha and West Bengal on May 26 noon.

As per the prediction of all models (IMD to US, Europe and Japan), Yaas will make landfall between Kendrapada and Bhadrak on May 26 in the morning to afternoon hours.