Bhubaneswar (SunstarTV Bureau): From yesterday onwards the very severe cyclonic storm Yaas has already started to batter the northern coastline of Odisha with powerful winds and rain as it is set to make landfall in a few hours from now.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) the storm will cross the Odisha- West Bengal coasts to the north of Dhamra and south of Balasore around noon today with sustained wind speed of 130 to 140 kmph.
At 5.30 hours, the cyclone lay centred over NW Bay of Bengal about 40 km east of Dhamra, 90 km south-southeast of Digha and 90 km south-southeast of Balasore.
Odisha Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena has informed that the system is moving at around 12 kmph and will make the landfall with delay about 10 to 11 am today around Basudevpur- Bahanaga area ( slight north/ south of the area).
The Met department has forecast the wind speed of the cyclone during landfall to remain around 130-140 kmph gusting to 155 kmph along and off Bhadrak and Balasore districts. Similarly, wind speed likely to remain 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph along and off Kendrapara district. It will decrease gradually after landfall becoming 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph by evening.
