Cyclone Amphan Live Update: Over five lakh people had been placed in shelters in West Bengal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting West Bengal and Odisha tomorrow to survey the ground situation after Cyclone Amphan clobbered the eastern states, leaving at least 72 dead and blowing up shanties, uprooting thousands of trees and swamping low-lying areas.
Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had urged the Prime Minister to visit the state to review the situation.
The India Meteorological Department said the cyclone will dissipate into a deep depression and a depression, the two stages that signify a further weakening of the cyclone, in the next few hours.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had earlier advised people against going out until government's green signal.
It also said that thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and squall is likely over Bihar; with lightning and gusty winds at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and Meghalaya.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had been monitoring the situation at state secretariat Nabanna on Tuesday night, said the impact of Amphan was "worse than coronavirus" and claimed damages due to the cyclone could be in the region of Rs 1 lakh crore.
Here are the updates on Cyclone Amphan:
Cyclone Amphan: 50-60 Kmph wind expected in Meghalaya for next few hours, says Weather department
India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director-General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra on Thursday said the wind having the speed of 50-60 Kmph is expected in Bangladesh and Meghalaya for next few hours.
Addressing a press conference with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Director General SN Pradhan, Dr Mohapatra said this wind is not expected to cause any structural damage.
Dr Mohapatra said that cyclone Amphan has no adverse impact over West Bengal anymore.
Cyclone Amphan: Road clearance, restoration work underway in Bengal
Road clearance and restoration work by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel are underway after extremely severe cyclonic storm Amphan hit West Bengal on Wednesday.
"Severe cyclonic storm Amphan over Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coast moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 30 kmph during the past six hours. Very likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and weaken further into a deep depression during the next three hours," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated.
Cyclone Amphan: 4 additional Disaster Response Force teams being airlifted to Kolkata
Four additional teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are being airlifted to Kolkata on the request of the West Bengal government for the restoration work in the aftermath of super cyclone Amphan and will reach the city by late evening on Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft, the chief of the force, S N Pradhan, said on Thursday.
Mr Pradhan said a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) under the cabinet secretary took place on Thursday to assess the impact of the cyclone and requirements of the states that have been battered by it.
The meeting was also attended by the chief secretaries of Odisha and West Bengal.
The Odisha government informed that life would start coming back to normal in the affected areas within 24-48 hours as 90 per cent of power and telecom connectivity has been restored.
"Over 2.5 lakh people were evacuated in Odisha. These people have started returning to their homes as the weather has cleared," Mr Pradhan said.
From the preliminary input received from the West Bengal government, it seems that impact of the cyclone has been significant in the state, he added.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took aerial survey of districts affected by cyclone Amphan
Cyclone Amphan: Used latest technology to give accurate forecast, says weather department
The India Meteorological Department used all the latest information available to give an accurate prediction on cyclone Amphan, Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said on Thursday.
He said the IMD gave accurate forecast on the cyclone's track, its intensity, storm surge, landfall time and weather associated with it, reported news agency ANI.
Mr Mohapatra said the extremely severe cyclonic storm weakened and moved to Bangladesh at 11:30 PM on Wednesday.
There is currently no impact of the cyclone in West Bengal and it will help the rescue and relief work, he said.
Declare cyclone Amphan national calamity: CPI(M)
Cyclone Amphan should be declared a national calamity, the CPI(M) demanded on Thursday and said people in West Bengal and Odisha need the support of the Centre.
The extremely severe cyclone Amphan has left several dead and ravaged Kolkata and several parts of West Bengal and Odisha.
"Relief and rehabilitation are priority at the moment. The country and the people are already in the midst of a grim struggle for survival combating the COVID-19 pandemic. People in both states urgently need the support and solidarity of the government and people of the country," the party said in a statement.
"The central government must immediately declare this as a national calamity and substantially help states in facing the impact of this disaster," it said.
Damages minimised due to weather department's accurate prediction regarding cyclone Amphan: National Disaster Response Force
India Meteorological Department's prediction regarding cyclone Amphan was accurate. All agencies working on the ground are grateful for it. Damages have been minimized due to the accurate prediction by the IMD, said NDRF Chief SN Pradhan
Cyclone Amphan: We will continue to provide services till states (Odisha & West Bengal) require services, says National Disaster Response Force
Cyclone Amphan: Operations resume at Kolkata airport
Cyclone Amphan: Normalcy will return in the next 24 to 48 hours in Odisha, says isaster Response Force
Cyclone Amphan: 72 Have Died, Says Mamata Banerjee
72 people have died due to cyclone Amphan, Says Mamata Banerjee.
Cyclone Amphan: Rs 2 lakh compensation to family of those killed, says Mamata Banerjee
"West Bengal government has announces a Rs 2 lakh compensation to the families of those killed in Cyclone Amphan," said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reported news agency PTI.
Cyclone Amphan: Closely monitoring situation, says Amit Shah
Cyclone Amphan: No stone will be left unturned in helping the affected, tweeted PM Modi
Cyclone Amphan - Minimum human loss due to accurate forecast timely deployment of rescue teams: Rajiv Gauba
The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on Thursday reviewed the rescue and relief operations in cyclone-hit West Bengal and Odisha, where minimal loss of lives was reported due to accurate forecast by the IMD and timely deployment of NDRF troops.
The NCMC, headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, reviewed the prevailing situation in West Bengal and Odisha with the state and central agencies in the aftermath of cyclone Amphan, reported news agency ANI.
Chief Secretaries of West Bengal and Odisha informed that timely and accurate forecast by Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and advance deployment of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) facilitated in evacuation of about five lakh people in West Bengal and about two lakh in Odisha, an official statement said.
This has resulted in minimal loss of human lives, considering the fact that the intensity of the Amphan was next only to that of the super cyclone that struck Odisha in 1999 causing large scale devastation, it said.
The NDRF is moving additional teams to West Bengal to speed up restoration work, especially in Kolkata.
19 million children at imminent risk due to Cyclone Amphan: UN body
At least 19 million children in parts of Bangladesh and India are at "imminent risk" from flash flooding and heavy rain due to Cyclone Amphan, the UN's children agency has warned.
The extremely severe cyclonic storm Amphan made a landfall at Digha in West Bengal and Bangladesh on Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction.
The UNICEF said that at least 19 million children in parts of Bangladesh and India are at "imminent risk from flash flooding, storm surges and heavy rain as Cyclone Amphan makes landfall."
West Bengal, "home to more than 50 million people, including over 16 million children, is expected to take a direct hit from the powerful storm," the UN agency said in a statement on Wednesday.
The UNICEF said it is also very concerned that the COVID-19 could deepen the humanitarian consequences of Cyclone Amphan in both the countries. Evacuees who have moved to crowded temporary shelters would be especially vulnerable to the spread of respiratory diseases like COVID-19, as well as other infections.
"We continue to monitor the situation closely," said UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia Jean Gough.
"The safety of children and their families in the areas that will be impacted is a priority and it is good to see that the authorities have planned their urgent response factoring in the on-going COVID-19 pandemic."
Cyclone Amphan: Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba reviews situation in Odisha, West Bengal
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Thursday reviewed situation in the cyclone-affected areas of Odisha and West Bengal with the States and Central Ministries/Agencies concerned in the aftermath of cyclone Amphan, the Government of India said.
Chief Secretaries of Odisha and West Bengal informed that timely and accurate forecast by India Meteorological Department and advance deployment of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) facilitated in the evacuation of about five lakh people in West Bengal and about two lakh in Odisha, the government informed.
This has resulted in minimal loss of human lives, considering the fact that the intensity of the Amphan was next only to that of the super cyclone that struck Odisha in 1999 causing large scale devastation, it added.
Cyclone Amphan: Was semi-prepared for Amphan as we were preparing for COVID-19 floods, says Disaster Response Force
Cyclone Amphan: People advised not to venture out till ''all clear'' by government
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) today advised people against going out until government's green signal.
"Only venture out after a cyclone when "all clear" messages are declared by the Government Officials," NDMA wrote on Twitter.
Cyclone Amphan made landfall in the coastal region of Odisha and West Bengal on May 20 and has had an adverse effect on the weather of various parts of the country.
NDMA said that thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and squall is likely over Bihar; with lightning and gusty winds at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and Meghalaya.
Two hangars have been damaged beyond repair, but they were unused, airport officials said.
At Least 12 Dead As Cyclone Amphan Wrecks Parts Of Bengal
Cyclone Amphan, one of the worst storms over the Bay of Bengal in years, has killed 12 people in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday.
The powerful cyclone destroyed thousands of homes, leaving authorities struggling to mount relief efforts amid the coronavirus crisis. Bengal took the brunt of Cyclone Amphan, which barreled into the coast with gusting winds of up to 185 km per hour.
Ms Banerjee said the impact of Amphan was worse than the coronavirus pandemic and claimed damages due to the cyclone could be in the region of Rs 1 lakh crore. Over five lakh people had been taken to shelters in Bengal and over one lakh in Odisha. (Read full story
here)
Cyclone Amphan: Road clearance, restoration work underway in Bengal
Road clearance and restoration work by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel are underway after extremely severe cyclonic storm Amphan hit West Bengal on Wednesday.
NDRF Director-General SN Pradhan tweeted photographs of restoration work by NDRF personnel at various locations in West Bengal, including North 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Howrah, Kolkata and South 24 Parganas.
Cyclone Amphan Currently Over Bangladesh As "Cyclonic Storm", Says Met Department
Cyclone Amphan has moved north-northeastwards from West Bengal with a speed of 30 kmph during the past 6 hours, currently lays over Bangladesh as a "Cyclonic Storm": India Met Department
Officials of the National Disaster Relief Force or NDRF engaged in restoration work at Digha in East Midnapore, West Bengal.
The cyclone, whose eye was about 30 kilometre in diameter, made landfall with gusting winds of up to 185 kmph and waves about 15 feet tall. Over five lakh people had been placed in shelters in West Bengal and over one lakh in Odisha.
Impact of Cyclone Amphan was worse than the coronavirus pandemic: Mamata Banerjee
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the impact of Amphan was worse than the coronavirus pandemic and claimed damages due to the cyclone could be in the region of Rs 1 lakh crore.
Cyclone Amphan, one of the worst storms over the Bay of Bengal in years, has left a trail of destruction in Bengal and Odisha on Wednesday, destroying thousands of houses, damaging buildings, uprooting trees, electricity poles and killing at least 10 people in Bengal.