India Starts Evacuating East Coast As Storm Intensifies

India was airlifting rescue and relief teams and keeping defense aircraft and naval vessels in readiness as it braced for cyclone Yaas' which is expected to hit eastern coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal on Wednesday.

This comes barely a week after cyclone 'Tauktae' battered the western coast leaving behind a trail of destruction.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday that the cyclone is likely to make landfall on May 26 evening between Paradip in Odisha and Sagar islands in West Bengal after intensifying into a very severe cyclonic storm' with wind speed ranging from 155 kmph to 165 kmph, gusting to 185 kmph.