Cyclone Yaas, which is bearing down on Bengal and Odisha from the Bay of Bengal, will make landfall near Balasore coast in Odisha —- 240km from Kolkata —- on May 26 noon with a thunderous wind speed of 155kmph-165kmph. While Bengal will avoid a direct hit, several of its districts -- East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia -- falling within the core area of Yaas are likely to be severely affected. Each of these districts may receive heavy rain accompanied by very high wind speed.