Merchant vessels, fishing boats alerted

Close on the heels of Cyclone Tauktae's strike on the western coast of the country, another Yaas - is now bound for the eastern coast, to hit two states Odisha and West Bengal next week likely. A year ago, the two states off the Bay of Bengal were devastated by Cyclone Amphan on May 20, killing more than 90 people altogether while destroying properties amid Covid-19 pandemic.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, “We are preparing to tackle Cyclone Yaas. Disasters have now become routine every year. All the district magistrates have been alerted. Besides alerts have been sounded in the Sundarbans and Digha coastal area. Our disaster management department is looking into it."

The North East Regional headquarters of the Indian Coast Guard, covering Odisha and West

Bengal, stated that it “is closely monitoring the weather development and has initiated preemptive /preventive measures. Though fishing ban is enforced in the east coast of India, Coast Guard Dornier and ships at sea are intimating the fishermen operating close to coast and those at sea about likely formation of cyclonic storm over Odisha/West Bengal coast and directing these fishing boats to return back to harbour for safety.”

It added, “Additionally, Radar Stations of ICG in the states of West Bengal and Odisha have also started transmitting weather warnings over VHF at regular intervals both in English and in vernacular language to alert Merchant Vessels and fishing boats operating at sea. ICG has also requested the State government of both West Bengal and that of Odisha to sensitise fishers and accounting of fishing boats present in harbour.”