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