Cyclone Yaas: Eastern coast airports’ precautions in place, says AAI

New Delhi: After facing the devastation of Cyclone Tauktae, the Eastern Coast of India is now bracing for Cyclone Yaas. "Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are closely monitoring the situation with regular Review Meetings," AAI said in a statement on Monday. MoCA's Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola chaired a meeting to take stock of the preparedness of various airports that may likely be impacted by the cyclone. The virtual meeting was attended by AAI's Chairman Sanjeev Kumar, Member (Operations) and Member (Planning), Regional Executive Director (Eastern Region), Director (Eastern Region), Indian Meteorological Department, Station Commander and Senior Meteorological Officer, Indian Navy and Airport Directors of airports from Eastern and Southern Regions. 

Due to heavy rain and winds of 20-25 knots gusting up to 35 knots, scheduled civil flight operations at the Port Blair Airport in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands has been suspended for May 24. Senior management at AAI, along with IMD, is consistently monitoring the situation at all other airports in Southern and Eastern India. Secretary (Civil Aviation) instructed that all preventive measures be in place at all airports that are likely to be impacted by the Cyclone, to minimize any damage.

Keeping the safety of airport infrastructure, manpower and safe flight operations in mind, airports have been advised to 'anticipate, plan and protect' to safeguard the airport infrastructure and civil aviation services.

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As per the latest Weather Bulletin issued by IMD, after laying practically stationary over East-central Bay of Bengal, Cyclone Yaas is very likely to move slowly north-northwestwards, intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hours and into a very severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours. It would continue to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach Northwest Bay of Bengal near north Odisha and West Bengal coasts by May 26 early morning. It is very likely to cross north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar islands around noon of May 26 as a very severe cyclonic storm.

AAI's Chairman along with the senior officers is closely monitoring the situation with regular review meetings. While flights operations at Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Jharsuguda and Durgapur Airports are likely to be impacted by the cyclone. Ranchi, Patna, Raipur, Jamshedpur, Bagdogra, Cooch Behar, Vizag and Rajahmundry Airports have been instructed to be on alert in case the cyclonic winds change path.

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