Cyclone Yaas: Indian Naval ships, aircraft on standby for Rescue & Relief Ops

New Delhi: In view of impending Cyclonic storm Yaas in the Bay of Bengal the Indian Navy said that it has deployed its assets on standby and scale up the preparatory initiatives to meet the exigencies. 

As part of the preparedness, the Navy's eight flood relief teams and four diving teams are prepositioned at Odisha and West Bengal to augment the existing resources.

Indian Navy is closely monitoring the movement of the Cyclonic Storm. Eastern Naval Command headquarter and Naval Officers-in-Charge at West Bengal and Odisha Area have carried out preparatory activities to combat the effects of Cyclone 'Yaas' and is in constant liaison with the State Administrations for rendering assistance as required.

"Four naval ships are on standby with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) bricks, diving, and medical teams to render assistance in the most affected areas along the Odisha and West Bengal coast", the Navy Spokesperson Vivek Madwal said.

 Naval aircraft are kept ready at Naval Air Stations, INS Dega at Visakhapatnam and INS Rajali near Chennai to undertake aerial survey of the most affected areas, casualty evacuation, and airdrop of relief material as required, he added.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday said that a low pressure area has formed over eastcentral Bay of Bengal at around 0830 hrs and is very likely to concentrate into a Depression over eastcentral Bay of Bengal by May 23 morning.

"It is very likely move north-northwestwards, intensify into a 'Cyclonic Storm' by May 24 and further into a 'Very Severe Cyclonic Storm' during the subsequent 24 hours. It would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach North Bay of Bengal near West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha and Bangladesh coasts around May 26 morning and subsequently will cross West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha and Bangladesh coasts around evening on the same day", the IMD added. (UNI)