Cyclone Amphan Hits Kolkata, Sunderbans And Howarh With Heavy Rain

Heavy rains aided by strong gusty winds from Cyclone Amphan continued to hit West Bengal and Odisha on Wednesday.

Wind speeds were recorded as high as 185 km/hr, making life for residents as well as the administration.

The cyclone, which was supposed to make landfall between Digha in East Midnapore district and Hatiya islands in Bangladesh, ultimately changed course and made landfall in Sagar islands in the Sunderbans in South 24 Parganas district around 2.30 pm, said West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha.The authorities did not forecast that the cyclone would impact the districts of Nadia, Purulia and Bankura districts.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who was stationed at the 24X7 control room in Nabanna, the state secretariat since Tuesday evening said that districts of North and South 24 Parganas faced the maximum brunt of the storm.

After hitting Kolkata around 4.00 pm, the eye of the storm was over the city around 7:00 pm before making its way to the neighbouring district of Howrah.

By 9:00pm, the cyclone had moved towards North 24 Paraganas district, but the cyclone had still not left Kolkata completely. Heavy rainfall was predicted in Kolkata till Thursday morning, after which Mamata said the process of restoration work will be assessed.

"I request people not to go out of their homes tonight. We will start restoration work tomorrow wherever it is possible. We will set up a task force tomorrow and hold a meeting," Mamata said.

Visuals from Narayanpur jetty in Namkhana in Sunderbans in South 24 Parganas district during cyclone Amphan @fpjindia pic.twitter.com/rG6LC8Ef4m

— Prema Rajaram (@prema_rajaram) May 20, 2020

The Chief Minister also added that 5 lakh people were evacuated over the last few days. Shelters have been set up in various parts of the state for people, especially in coastal areas.

Mamata also said that close to 12 people have died in the state due to the storm, two of which were reported in Regent Park area of Kolkata after a wall collapsed on a lady and her son.

Reports came in of window panes breaking, walls collapsing, roofs of houses being ripped apart, electricity poles falling, trees being uprooted, and hoardings falling. Hospitals were affected in many parts of the state with power cuts reported in many parts of West Bengal including Kolkata for large parts of the evening.

Trees uprooted,wall collapses, electric poles falling down,window panes breaking,roofs ripped apart were some major concerns as Kolkata& neighbouring districts bore the brunt of cyclone Amphan @fpjindia pic.twitter.com/ObLMyytmy0

— Prema Rajaram (@prema_rajaram) May 20, 2020