Around 400,000 people have been evacuated from the coastal districts of Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak and Balasore
Cyclone Yaas is likely to make landfall near Odisha’s Dhamra port by the early morning of May 26, 2021, the India Meteorological Department has said.
The very severe cyclonic storm may carry wind speeds of up to 185 kilometres per hour during landfall. The situation may worsen due to a full moon and lunar eclipse happening simultaneously May 26.
Full moon days can make the high tide even higher, making the storm surge even more dangerous. Around 400,000 people have been evacuated from the coastal districts of Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak and Balasore.
The cyclone may also pass through the Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district of Odisha. It is home to one of the largest populations of the endangered saltwater crocodiles in India. Yaas could be the worst storm to hit since the 1999 Super Cyclone in Odisha which killed over 10,000. The Bay of Bengal has high sea surface temperatures which is a favourable condition for cyclone formation.
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