Cyclone Yaas in the Bay of Bengal is expected to slam into West Bengal and Odisha states around midday on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department said, and could bring winds of up to 165 kilometres per hour.
Nearly two million people living along India’s east coast are being moved to shelters, officials said Tuesday, and the storm has also disrupted efforts to combat the country’s devastating Covid-19 outbreak. “Nearly half a million people are being evacuated from their homes in the coastal region and it’s a big challenge to provide them shelter maintaining social distancing.”
The state’s special relief commissioner, Pradeep Jena, said arrangements were being made to maintain social distancing in shelters, with face masks and sanitisers supplied.
God have mercy on them