Yaas leaves behind trail of destruction

A bridge at the Kanchi river collapsed due to heavy rain triggered by Cyclone Yaas, in Tamar area of Ranchi on Thursday. At least 800,000 people in Jharkhand have been affected by Cyclone Yaas, which barrelled through the state on Thursday, unleashing copious rain, officials said. Heavy rain also pummelled several districts of north Odisha, the IMD said. Yaas damaged property worth at least ₹15,000 crore in West Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, while announcing a preliminary package of ₹1,000 for immediate relief work. Several houses and shops in Digha were completely damaged. PM Narendra Modi reviewed the impact of Yaas at a meeting on Thursday during which he asked the central and states agencies to ensure normal life is restored at the earliest. Modi take also take an aerial survey of affected areas in Odisha and West Bengal on Friday. On Thursday, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik undertook an aerial survey.