Raipur: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on May 22 informed that a low-pressure system developed over the east-central Bay of Bengal on Saturday morning will intensify into a cyclonic storm by May 24. 

After devastating West Bengal and Orissa, the cyclone has now weakened into a deep depression moving north-westwards with a speed of about 7 kmph during the past six hours and lay centred over south Jharkhand and neighbourhood.

The IMD  has issued an alert for the next 48 hours in Chhattisgarh districts bordering Jharkhand and Odisha. Meteorologist HP Chandra stated districts in the vicinity of Jharkhand including Balarampur, Sarguja, Surapur, Jashpur, Bilaspur, Raigad, Janjgir, and Mahasamund may receive heavy rains. An increase in temperature is also speculated amidst the arrival of the storm.

In its bit of preparedness, the state administration cautioned the officers of the Department of Power, Water Resources, Health, Municipality, Municipal Army, PHED. Comprehensive preparation orders have been given to the respective departments in writing. 

201 relief camps have been set up and 596 people are evacuated in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand as part of relief efforts ahead of cyclone Yaas. 

Cyclone Yaas is the second storm to hit India within a week after Tauktae tore up the western coast, causing mass evacuations and piling up the pressure on authorities trying to tackle a deadly second of coronavirus infections.

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