Next, CM emphasised on taking up a separate development plan for Digha, which has suffered severe damage due to the cyclone and gave responsibility of Digha Development Authority, which was earlier held by Adhikari, to newly appointed irrigation secretary Prabhat Kumar Mishra.
The cyclone is very likely to move further northwestwards and weaken gradually into a depression during next 12 hours. The storm had commenced the landfall process around 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
Wind speed 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph is prevailing along and off north Odisha coast and 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph is prevailing along and off adjoining West Bengal coast.
The cyclone, which is in its initial stage as a depression lay centred about 670 km south-southeast of Digha at around 11.30 a.m.
The state administration has pressed into action all its resources to minimise the damages caused by the storm.
Das said light to moderate rainfall at most places of Gangetic West Bengal with heavy rain at isolated places is very likely to commence over coastal districts from 25 May with significant increase in intensity and area subsequently.
In a high-level meeting, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has asked all the concerned departments to work round the clock and evacuate people from the possible path of the storm.
The government warned that public health challenge amid Covid may be compounded due to health risks in terms of water, vector and air borne diseases in camps /temporary shelter settings.
