<p>West Bengal is bracing for the super cyclone Amphan ( pronounced as UM-PAN) which is expected to make landfall between its beach town Digha and Haitya in Bangladesh close to the Sundarbans on Wednesday evening.</p>.<p>The Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata in its latest bulletin stated that Amphan is currently located about 360 kms south of Paradip in Odisha, 510 kms south-southwest of Digha in West Bengal and 650 kms south-southwest of Khepupara in Bangladesh.</p>.<p>It also stated that during crossing West Bengal – Bangladesh coasts on Wednesday evening Amphan will have maximum sustained wind speed speed of 155-165kmph gusting to 185 kmph.</p>.<p>The rainfall is expected to gradually increase and reach its peak on Wednesday with districts such as East and West Medinipur, North and South 24 Paraganas, Howarah, Hooghly and Kolkata receiving heavy to very heavy rainfall.</p>.<p>The low lying areas of South and North 24 Paraganas will witness storm surge of about four to five meters above astronomical tide and three to four meters East Medinipur during landfall. The cyclone will cause extensive damage to kutcha houses and badly managed pucca structures.</p>.<p>Officials at the Regional Meteorological Centre said that in terms of wind speed Amphan will surpass earlier cyclones such as Aila, Fani and Bulbul.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that so far nearly 3 lakh people have been shifted to shelters so far in the state mostly from the districts of South and North 24 Paraganas, East and West Medinipur.</p>.<p>“We have already readied several temporary and permanent shelters. Due to COVID-19 they also have to be properly sanitized. I urge people to maintain social distancing during the natural calamity as much as possible,” said Banerjee.</p>.<p>She also said that during Bulbul about 1.80 lakh people were evacuated in Bengal.</p>.<p>“I got a call from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the cyclone and told him that we are prepared for it,” said Banerjee.</p>.<p>NDRF has deployed 19 teams in seven districts of West Bengal.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Banerjee said that on Friday several opposition parties will discuss the COVID-19 situation over video conference.</p>
<p>West Bengal is bracing for the super cyclone Amphan ( pronounced as UM-PAN) which is expected to make landfall between its beach town Digha and Haitya in Bangladesh close to the Sundarbans on Wednesday evening.</p>.<p>The Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata in its latest bulletin stated that Amphan is currently located about 360 kms south of Paradip in Odisha, 510 kms south-southwest of Digha in West Bengal and 650 kms south-southwest of Khepupara in Bangladesh.</p>.<p>It also stated that during crossing West Bengal – Bangladesh coasts on Wednesday evening Amphan will have maximum sustained wind speed speed of 155-165kmph gusting to 185 kmph.</p>.<p>The rainfall is expected to gradually increase and reach its peak on Wednesday with districts such as East and West Medinipur, North and South 24 Paraganas, Howarah, Hooghly and Kolkata receiving heavy to very heavy rainfall.</p>.<p>The low lying areas of South and North 24 Paraganas will witness storm surge of about four to five meters above astronomical tide and three to four meters East Medinipur during landfall. The cyclone will cause extensive damage to kutcha houses and badly managed pucca structures.</p>.<p>Officials at the Regional Meteorological Centre said that in terms of wind speed Amphan will surpass earlier cyclones such as Aila, Fani and Bulbul.</p>.<p>Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that so far nearly 3 lakh people have been shifted to shelters so far in the state mostly from the districts of South and North 24 Paraganas, East and West Medinipur.</p>.<p>“We have already readied several temporary and permanent shelters. Due to COVID-19 they also have to be properly sanitized. I urge people to maintain social distancing during the natural calamity as much as possible,” said Banerjee.</p>.<p>She also said that during Bulbul about 1.80 lakh people were evacuated in Bengal.</p>.<p>“I got a call from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the cyclone and told him that we are prepared for it,” said Banerjee.</p>.<p>NDRF has deployed 19 teams in seven districts of West Bengal.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Banerjee said that on Friday several opposition parties will discuss the COVID-19 situation over video conference.</p>
