CM Mamata Banerjee directs officials to prepare for Cyclone Yaas after warning

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday directed senior government officials to make all necessary arrangements to tackle a cyclonic storm that is likely to hit the coastal areas on May 26.

Following warnings from the weather office, Banerjee chaired a virtual meeting with officials, directing them, to arrange for adequate stock of medicines, drinking water, dry food and tarpaulins. She also asked them to ensure that enough force, from the state disaster management team and the police, are deployed in the region.

''All cyclone centres and shelters have been asked to be prepared. The district magistrates have been directed to take all precautionary measures in the wake of the warnings. The district administrations have been asked to caution the fishermen not to venture into the sea,'' an official said.

After Cyclone Amphan left its mark on Kolkata last year, reports of another powerful cyclone hurtling towards the Bay of Bengal have surfaced. According to the Met Department, a low-pressure area is very likely to form over North Andaman Sea and adjoining the east-central Bay of Bengal on May 22 and intensify into a cyclonic storm. The system is very likely to move north-westwards and reach West Bengal-Odisha coasts on the evening of May 26, Regional Met Director GK Das said.

Light to moderate rainfall is likely to commence from May 25 in the coastal districts of West Bengal. Rainfall is likely to increase significantly overall the south Bengal districts and intensify thereafter, Das added. Warning that sea conditions are likely to be rough to very rough, the Met Department advised fishermen not to venture into the Bay of Bengal from May 24.

Cyclone Tauktae

The reports of another cyclonic storm come just a day after Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat recovered from the devastating effects of Cyclone Tauktae that hit the western coast on Monday and Tuesday. More than 70 people have lost their lives due to the ferocious storm that caused landfall in Gujarat on Tuesday. Apart from great damage to infrastructure and property, many people are still missing near the sea-coast with rescue operations underway.