GUWAHATI, May 24: The Met department here has predicted rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rain, thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places in Assam and Meghalaya on Wednesday and Thursday with the cyclonic storm ‘Yaas’ likely to intensify into a “very severe cyclonic storm” by May 26.
“The Cyclonic Storm ‘Yaas’ over east central Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of two kmph during past six hours, and lay centred at 8.30 am on Monday over east central Bay of Bengal. It is very likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours,” the Regional Meteorological Centre alerted in a statement on Monday afternoon.
“It would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach Northwest Bay of Bengal near north Odisha and West Bengal coasts by early morning of May 26. It is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar islands around noon of May 26 as a very severe cyclonic storm,” the RMC informed.
The Met department said that on May 27, Assam and Meghalaya would receive rainfall at many places with heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places, besides thunderstorms /lightning at isolated places.
The impact of rainfall in the two states, the Met office warned, could be “localised flooding of roads, water logging in low-lying areas, occasional reduction in visibility due to heavy rainfall and localised landslides.”
In a tweet, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Cyclone Yaas is likely to affect the region on May 26-27. Union home minister Amit Shah called and enquired about preparedness of Assam, Sikkim and Meghalaya. Informed that emergency services have been pressed into action.”
Rainfall at many places with heavy rainfall at isolated places along with thunderstorms /lightning at isolated places has also been forecast for Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday besides rainfall at many places along with thunderstorms /lightning at isolated places.
Besides, rainfall at most places with heavy rain at isolated places has been predicted in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura along with thunderstorms/lightning at isolated places on Wednesday and rainfall at many places along with thunderstorms /lightning at isolated places on Thursday.