The approaching cyclone ‘Amphan,’ which is forecast to hit land close to the Sundarbans, between Digha and Hatia Island in Bangladesh, is likely to inflict damage in Kolkata as heavy to very heavy rain, accompanied with gale wind speed- 110 to 120 kmphgusting to 130 kmph, is expected to lash the city during the time of landfall.

The cyclone which was at a distance of 510km till 2.30pm today is likely to cross through the East and South-East parts of Kolkata between tomorrow afternoon and night. The met office has urged the people of the city to remain indoors. All the establishments and markets of Kolkata and in adjoining areas, have been asked to remain closed.

The weatherman has issued particular warning of extensive damage in the districts of Kolkata, East Medinipur, South 24 Parganas North 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly. Notably, the ‘super cyclonic storm’ that weakened into ‘extremely severe cyclonic storm’ after 11.30 am today, is expected to lose further intensity by 11.30 am tomorrow, the met officials informed.

It will thereafter lose more intensity and turn into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ in the next morning after 11.30 am with a reduced speed of upto 155 kmph gusting to 170kmph.

However, at the time of the landfall, the cyclone is very likely to move north-north-eastwards across north-west Bay of Bengal and cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Digha and Hatiya Islands, close to Sundarbans during afternoon to evening with maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph.

The city today experienced a drizzle post afternoon and could receive maximum rainfall tomorrow. “Rainfall intensity is likely to increase gradually. There will be heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places over all the districts of Gangetic West Bengal. Extremely heavy, above 20 cm, at East Midnapore, West Midnapore, North 24 Paraganas South 24 Paraganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Kolkata of Gangetic West Bengal,” said Mr G.K Das, director of the regional met office.

Meanwhile, the South 24 Parganas district administration evacuated more than two lakh people from the districts to safer places. The authorities set up 514 cyclone shelters to accommodate the evacuees, following the norms of social distancing. The district administration along with disaster management team and NDRF, are reaching out to people in towns and villages with a word of caution.

Announcements were made in Uttarpara to Tarakeswar, and Arambagh people have been asked not come out of their houses during the cyclone. A large number of people from Khanakul – 2 no block were evacuated. People living near the Damodar, Darkeswar and Mundeswari river have also been relocated. Food and other essentials are being provided.

The NDRF team in the Arambagh sub division is keeping a strict vigilance over the changing situation.

The team leader, assistant commandant Mr. Krishna Pada Borai said, “We are on the alert to meet with any kind of emergency situation. It is our foremost duty to prevent loss of life and property. The East Midnapore district administration started evacuation from Ramnagar-I and II, Deshapran, Khejuri-II and Contai-I blocks as these are most vulnerable.

People living in kuccha and semi-pucca houses have been asked to take shelter in the cyclone centres Partha Das, district magistrate of East Midnapore said, “Fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea and since there is no tourist in Digha, Mandarmoni and Tajpur, people living in coastal areas have already been shifted to the cyclone centres.” Four teams of the National Disaster Management force have been deployed in the district.

“We have about 43 cyclone shelters in seven blocks. Together, they can accommodate 50,000 people but we will have to reduce that number by half because of social distancing” said an official. Weather officials predict that the storm will hit hardest on the 7 km stretch of the East Midnapore coastal zone between Digha and Haldia.

District officials have requisitioned nearly 600 schools to accommodate persons who cannot be put up in cyclone shelters. A CPI-M delegation team today submitted a memorandum before the Contai sub-divisional officer urging him to open control rooms at each gram panchayat in the vulnerable blocks and to shift the residents living in the coastal areas to cyclone rescue centers.

Eye on tiger movement in Sundarbans:

With cyclone ‘Amphan’ set to lash coastal areas of Bengal on May 20, the forest department on Tuesday formed rapid response teams to ensure that tigers from Sundarbans in South 24 Parganas district do not stray into nearby human settlements after the landfall.

Chief Wildlife Warden Ravi Kant Sinha said a control room has been set up at Gosaba area in the district by the forest department to monitor the situation in the mangrove jungles 24×7. The department’s central control room in Salt Lake area will be in constant touch with the Gosaba unit and keep a close watch on wildlife movement in the forest.

If there are attempts by tigers to stray from the core reserve area into the contiguous villages, we will be able to notice that from the two control rooms and our rapid response teams will take steps to send back the animal to its habitat,” he said.