The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday predicted that the cyclonic storm Yaas is going to intensity into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ in the next 12 hours, reports NDTV.

‘The severe cyclonic storm Yaas over east-central Bay of Bengal moved north-north westwards with a speed of about 9 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 9 UTC of May 24 over east-central Bay of Bengal,’ IMD said in its bulletin.

‘It is very likely to move north-north westwards, intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. It would continue to move north-north westwards, intensify further and reach northwest Bay of Bengal near North Odisha and West Bengal coasts by May 26 early morning,’ the weather agency said.

It also stated that Cyclone Yaas is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar Island around Balasore, during noon of May 26 as a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’. The maximum sustained wind speed is 55 knots gusting to 65 knots around system centre. Sea condition is rough to very rough, it stated.

The cyclonic storm is very likely to make landfall near Balasore in north Odisha with a speed of 155 kmph to 165 kmph, gusting to 185 kmph, around noon on May 26, the Met department said on Monday.