Cyclone Amphan: Around 12 deaths reported as super cyclone cause havoc in various parts of west bengal

INDIA: The super cyclone ‘Amphan’ made an entry to West Bengal from Northern Odisha on May 20 at 2:40 pm claiming 10-12 lives so far. It had a devastating effect on several areas of West Bengal, mainly North and South 24 Paraghanas, Mednipore, Hoogly and Kolkata.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee has said that the number of casualties may go up to 12. She was present till late evening in the control room of Nabanna along with several district magistrates in order to keep an eye on the disaster. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also assured help to the Chief Ministers of Bengal and Odisha.

Several areas of Odisha have also been affected severely. There was heavy rainfall in various vicinity of Odisha including Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Ganjam, Bhdrak and Balasore. The Cyclone entered West Bengal at 2:30 pm through Digha, West Bengal and Hatiya Islands in Bangladesh across Sunderban delta with the speed of 155kmph -156 kmph leaving the trails of destruction, as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) report.

In several areas of Kolkata trees and electric poles have fallen on the street. A video circulated in social media where the transformer blasted somewhere near Anwar Shah road as the running water clogged the roads. Cars dashed to one another and several window panes broke due to blustering winds.

Another death had been reported in Rippon Street where Yusuf Khan, 55, died of electric shock in the compound. After several efforts, two people were able to recover the body from the water clogging the road and took him immediately to the hospital where he was declared dead.

Super cyclone Amphan has been recorded as the second super cyclone recorded after 1999. Around 10,000 people had died in Odisha due to the cyclone in 1999. The officers at the weather department said that the Amphan would weaken before entering Bangladesh.

—– Tanmaya Das