Cyclone Yaas: India starts evacuating parts of east coast ahead of 'severe cyclonic storm'

New Delhi - 'Our target is to ensure that not a single life is lost'

Indian authorities began evacuating thousands of people from coastal areas in two states on Monday as a powerful cyclone bore down on the country's east coast, complicating efforts to control the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cyclone Yaas, the second storm to hit the country in a week, is set to turn into a "very severe cyclonic storm" with wind speeds of up to 110 miles per hour (177 kph), the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The storm, brewing in the Bay of Bengal, will likely come ashore near the border between Odisha and West Bengal states early on Wednesday, accompanied by storm surge of around four metres (13 ft) that could reach up to 7 km (4 miles) inland, according to the IMD.

"Our target is to ensure that not a single life is lost," said Bankim Hazra, a minister in West Bengal state, where more than 1,500 people have already been evacuated from a low-lying island.

In Odisha, state authorities were aiming to complete all evacuations by Tuesday afternoon, including moving around 6,500 pregnant women into hospitals, senior official Pradeep Jena said.

The cyclone is likely to compound problems for state authorities already dealing with a spike in Covid-19 infections that has put health infrastructure under severe strain.