Guwahati/Agartala, May 24 (IANS): Cyclone 'Yaas' is likely to affect three northeastern states -- Assam, Meghalaya and Sikkim - causing moderate to heavy rains on May 26-27, IMD officials said on Monday.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said that the intensity of rain depends on the cyclone movements.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a tweet, said : "Cyclone 'YAAS' is likely to affect the (northeastern) region on 26-27 May. Hon'ble UHM Amit Shah called and enquired about preparedness of Assam, Sikkim and Meghalaya.
"Informed that emergency services have been pressed into action. Grateful, to Hon'ble UHM for his continued concern for the region."
IMD director in Tripura Dilip Saha said that light to moderate rain is likely to occur in many states of the northeastern region.
"In few places in the region might witness heavy rain. However, the rain and wind speed of the Cyclone 'Yaas' would depend on the strength and direction of the storm," Saha told IANS.
Meanwhile, in view of latest advisory of the IMD, eight teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Guwahati were airlifted to Odisha for search and rescue operations. NDRF 1st Battalion commandant H P S Kandari said that the Odisha government had requisitioned more than 50 teams of the NDRF while West Bengal government requested 35 teams. Teams from NDRF battalions in Assam and Bihar are being airlifted to Odisha and West Bangal in addition to those from the battalions stationed in these states. The teams consisting 200 personnel including engineers, paramedics, technical experts were airlifted from Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati to Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar by Indian Air Force transport aircraft. These teams are equipped with flood rescue boats, collapse search and specialist rescue operation equipment.