New Delhi: The impact of Cyclone Amphan on West Bengal has been worse than the coronavirus pandemic, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said this evening after the extremely severe cyclonic storm pounded Bengal, killing three people, damaging buildings and uprooting trees. Damages due to Amphan, she said, could be worth Rs 1 lakh crore.
Ms Banerjee, addressing a press conference in Kolkata, said three people have died, but that number may rise to 10 or 12. She said the North and South 24 Parganas districts were the worst hit and that Bengal "will have to re-build everything".
Kolkata and nearby areas are witnessing winds of over 100 kmph and pounding rain after Cyclone Amphan, one of the worst storms over the Bay of Bengal in years, made landfall this evening in West Bengal towards Sunderbans, a marshy region famous for its mangroves.
Three people have died and many buildings in Kolkata were damaged.
The eye of the cyclone, 30 km in diameter, has touched land, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra said. Over five lakh people have been taken to shelters in West Bengal and over one lakh in Odisha, the National Disaster Response Force (NRDF) chief said today in a press briefing
The storm had weakened from a super cyclone to an extremely severe cyclonic storm on Tuesday and triggered strong winds and rain in parts of Odisha and Bengal. This is the second pre-monsoon cyclone to hit India in two years and has been anticipated as one of the worst storm over Bay of Bengal in decades.
It has hit Bengal at a time when restrictions are in place due to coronavirus. On Tuesday, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) chief SN Pradhan told reporters they face the "double challenge" of the coronavirus pandemic and a natural disaster.
Forty teams of the NDRF have been deployed in West Bengal and Odisha to deal with any emergency situation, Mr Pradhan said, adding that Amphan is "a second disaster coming amid COVID-19 pandemic" and it needs continuous monitoring.
Here are the Highlights on Cyclone AMPHAN:
May 20, 2020 22:12 (IST)
NDRF has deployed its 39 self-contained rescue & relief teams in coastal areas of West Bengal and Odisha in view of Cyclonic Storm Amphan. As many as 20 NDRF teams are deployed in the coastal areas of Odisha: Public Relations, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
May 20, 2020 21:22 (IST)
Amphan crossed as a very severe cyclonic storm. While crossing its wind speed was 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph. Now it's located 35 km northeast of Sagar island (West Bengal), 70 km south of Kolkata, 95 km east-northeast of Digha, news agency reported quoting HR Biswas, Director of IMD Bhubaneswar (Odisha)
May 20, 2020 21:06 (IST)
5,500 houses damaged, 2 persons dead and 2 severely injured in North 24 Parganas, as per 7 pm report, news agency ANI reported quoting Bibek Vasme, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Basirhat.
May 20, 2020 17:52 (IST)
Cyclone Amphan uproots trees, flattens houses in Odisha
Cyclone Amphan left a trail of destruction in Odisha as it triggered heavy downpour coupled with high-velocity winds while hurtling towards the West Bengal coast on Wednesday, uprooting trees and flattening fragile structures, officials said.
More than 1.41 lakh people living in low-lying areas and thatched and mud houses in the vulnerable coastal regions were evacuated and shifted to cyclone shelters, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), P K Jena said.
The evacuees were accommodated in 2,921 shelters where cooked food and other facilities were provided, he said, adding that the cyclone developed and moved as per the IMD forecast.
"It took exactly the path forecast by them. I must thank the IMD, particularly its Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, as their accurate predictions enabled us handle the situation ably," the SRC said.
As the cyclone passed along the Odisha coast, it unleashed intense rainfall in several areas of Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Ganjam, Bhadrak and Balasore districts since Tuesday.
May 20, 2020 17:21 (IST)
Cyclone Amphan to completely enter land by 7 PM, says weather agency
Cyclone Amphan is currently crossing the West Bengal coast near the Sunderbans and will reach near Kolkata by evening, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said as the storm was making a landfall.
He said strong winds with an intensity of 160 kilometres per hour have commenced in coastal West Bengal districts.
"The first arm of Cyclone Amphan has touched the land. The eye of the cyclone is expected to touch land anytime," he said.
"Landfall process started at 2.30 PM with the entry of the front sector of the wall cloud region," he said.
The width of the wall cloud is around 120 kilometres and the diameter of the eye is about 40 kilometres. The rear side is about 120 kilometres and the entire process will be completed by 3-4 hours.
May 20, 2020 17:02 (IST)
Situation related to Cyclone Amphan fast transforming: Disaster Response Force
The situation related to Cyclone Amphan, which has started landfall, is fast transforming and a close watch is being kept, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Director General S N Pradhan said.
He said all 20 teams present in Odisha have been deployed, leaving none in reserve, while in West Bengal 19 teams have been deployed, while two have been kept in reserve.
One team has been deployed in Kolkata, Pradhan told a press conference.
He said 24 teams are ready for air-lifting.
"The situation is fast-transforming. Our duty becomes even more now and after the cyclone. It is a long haul," he said, adding that the NDRF is keeping a close watch on cyclone Amphan.
May 20, 2020 16:39 (IST)
Amphan Cyclone: Damaging Impact to continue in Odisha for a few hours, says weather agency
"Odisha districts Bhadrak and Balasore will continue to have damaging impact for 2-3 more hours. After this Odisha will not have any damaging impact," said Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.
May 20, 2020 16:36 (IST)
Cyclone Amphan: Heavy rainfall expected in Kolkata today due to the cyclone, says weather department chief.
Heavy rainfall is expected in Kolkata today due to cyclone Amphan, said the weather department chief. "Tomorrow, there won't be much rainfall," he added.
