Extremely severe cyclonic storm Amphan ( pronounced as UM-PAN) rampaged across West Bengal ,especially, in the coastal areas of the state on Wednesday. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that so far about 10 persons have died in the state. The number is likely to increase.
The storm made landfall at around 2.30 pm and according to the IMD bulletin issued at 8.30 pm, it has crossed West Bengal- Bangladesh coast with wind speed of 155 kms to 165 kms per hour and gusting up to 185 kms per hour.
“System would continue to move north-northeastwards and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh border in the early hours of 21st May, 2020,” stated the bulletin.
Amphan crossed West Bengal-Bangladesh coast between the state’s Digha and Hatiya islands in Bangladesh close to the Sundarban with wind speed of 155 kms to 165 kms per hour and gusting up to 185 kms per hour across Sundarban.
The casualties include a 13-year-old girl in Howrah district and a woman at the Minakhan area in North 24 Paraganas district. They also said a man has died in the Basirhat area of North 24 Paraganas after a tree fell on him.
Amphan has caused severe property damage in the coastal districts of South and North 24 Paraganas and East Medinipur. At least 5000 kucha houses have collapsed due to the storm and thousands of trees have been uprooted.
The beach town Digha along with Tajpur, Mandarmani, Ramnagar and Khejuri in East Medinipur district witnessed large scale damage to property, mainly kucha houses.
Similar situation took place in South 24 Paraganas district where areas such as Frasergunj, Namkhana and Kakdwip sustained property damage. Along with high speed wind, heavy rainfall lashed the areas. So far 5 lakh people have been evacuated in Bengal and shifted to storm shelters, said Banerjee.
“South and North 24 Paraganas have been devastated by the storm,” she said.
As for Kolkata the city witnessed wind speeds up to 112 kms per hour.Several trees, lamp posts and traffic signals were uprooted.
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