#CycloneYaas: Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Weakens After Landfall

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Yaas has now weakened into a severe cyclonic storm. As per the latest update of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), at around 12:30 PM, Yaas remained centred over north coastal Odisha about 15 km west southwest of Balasore. Cyclone Yaas crossed north Odisha coast about 20 km south of Balasore between 10:30 -11:30 AM. As per IMD, the cyclone crossed with a wind speed of 130-140 kmph gusting up to 155 kmph.

IMD Chief,Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said, Very severe cyclonic storm Yaas crossed north Odisha coast today between 10:30-11:30 AM about 20 km south of Balasore. During its landfall, the wind speed was 130-140 kmph gusting up to 150 kmph. After crossing the coast, the cyclone moved north northwest-wards, today and was centered 15 km south southwest of Balasore as of 11:30 am. It is currently moving north northwest-wards. The intensity of the Cyclone is likely to decline in next 3 hours. Currently it's wind speed is 120-130 kmph with gustiness up to 145 kmph. According to forecast, the wind speed is likely to decrease in the next 3 hours to 90-100 kmph with gustiness up to 110 kmph as the cyclone weakens.

This impact is likely to be felt in the interior Odisha mostly in Mayurbhanj district. In the subsequent 6 hours, the cyclone will further weaken and the wind speed will drop to 60-70 kmph and will turn into a cyclonic storm. It will reach Jharkhand tomorrow and will be centered there as a deep depression in which wind speed is likely to be 50-60 kmph. Under the impact of the cyclone, heavy to very heavy rainfall was witnessed in several coastal and interior districts in the last 24 hours. Interior districts of Odisha are experiencing rainfall even today. We expect heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next 6 hours in the coastal districts of Odisha especially in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada and Jagatsingpur.

In the interior districts of north Odisha, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in the next 12 hours. Moreover, extremely heavy rainfall above 20 cm is also likely in some parts. Sea tides will slowly decline but will remain high for next 3-4 hours in Bhadrak, Balasore and its nearby Medinipur and 24 Parganas in West Bengal. However, we are expecting the tides to be 2 m instead of 4 m.