Cyclone Yaas weakens after pounding Odisha, West Bengal; 2 mn evacuated

The storm impacted several flights in the affected states as airports in Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Rourkela and Durgapur remained shut. Ports and refineries were also on alert

West Bengal and Odisha evacuated more than two million people as a powerful cyclonic storm, Yaas, hit the east coast on Wednesday, causing extensive damage at a time when India is battling the world’s worst outbreak of Covid-19.
 
Earlier classified as a “very severe cyclonic” storm, Yaas weakened into a “severe cyclonic storm” by afternoon after pounding the beach towns in north Odisha and neighbouring West Bengal with wind speeds of 130-145 kmph. Yaas hit the coast north of Dhamra in Odisha's Bhadrak district, 50 km south of Balasore district, around 9 am. The landfall process was over around