Cyclone Bulbul : Mamata monitoring situation

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday said she is monitoring the situation and the administration has taken all measures to tackle any contingency in view of Cyclone Bulbul, which will make its landfall in the coastal area of the state.

She appealed to citizens to maintain calm and not to panic.

According to the IMD, Cyclone Bulbul will make landfall at West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island (WB) and Khepupara (Bangladesh) across Sunderban delta by Saturday late evening.

"Cyclone Bulbul is about to pass through Bengal. Our state administration is closely monitoring the situation 24x7. We are taking all measures to tackle any contingency. Special Control Rooms have been set up and NDRF-SDRF teams are deployed," Banerjee said in a tweet.

Schools, colleges and anganwadi centres have been closed and more than 1.2 lakh people have already been rescued from the vulnerable coastal areas, she said.

"Please do not panic. Kindly remain calm and cooperate with the administration in its rescue and relief efforts. Be alert, take care and stay safe," she said.

The very severe cyclonic storm 'Bulbul' over the Bay of Bengal is likely to make landfall between West Bengal- Bangladesh coasts by late Saturday evening or night, bringing in its wake very heavy rain and gale wind of up to 135 kmph along the coastline, the MeT department said here.

With the weatherman apprehending that the severity of 'Bulbul' will cause damage to kutcha houses, roads, communication and power lines along its path in the coastal and adjoining districts of West Bengal, the state government has put in place measures to tackle the evolving situation.

'Bulbul', which was centered 190 km south-southwest of Sagar Islands at 5.30 am on Saturday, is likely to weaken gradually and cross the coast between the Sagar Islands of West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh with a reduced force as a severe cyclonic storm, the Met department said.