Mass Evacuations In East India As Cyclone Looms

(Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2021) New Delhi, 24th May 2021 (WAM) – With a "very severe cyclonic storm" of wind speeds up to 177 km per hour predicted to hit India’s east coast this week, authorities have begun evacuating thousands of people in the states of West Bengal and Odisha.

Talking to reporters on behalf of Odisha’s government, Pradeep Kumar Jena, Managing Director of the state’s Disaster Management Authority, said marathon evacuation of coastal residents was expected to be completed by Tuesday afternoon.

West Bengal minister for Sundarban Affairs, Bankim Chandra Hazra, who is concentrating on evacuations from low-lying parts of the state, said "our aim is to ensure that not a single life is lost." Sundarban is an area of West Bengal covering the districts of North and South 24 Parganas, expected to be in the path of the oncoming cyclone, Yaas, on Wednesday.

All ports on India's eastern shores have already suspended shipping activities. "All vessels at Paradip anchorage to pick up anchor and move to sea, equipment and machineries at under construction areas to be secured," the major Odisha port said in a notification.

In the West Bengal capital, Kolkata Port Trust Chairman Vinit Kumar said: "Before the onset of the cyclone, all port vessels will be taken inside the dock for shelter. No ships will be kept in river anchorages or jetties." Similar steps are being taken at Haldia, another key port in West Bengal.

Yaas is the second cyclone to hit India in a week. Last week, cyclone Tauktae made landfall in India's west coast and killed more than 150 people.