Cyclone ‘Bulbul’, which barrelled through the coastal districts of West Bengal before hurtling towards Bangladesh, claimed at least seven lives in different parts of the state, official reports said on Sunday.
IMAGE: A woman stands on the remnants of her house in the aftermath of cyclone ‘Bulbul’, at Bakkhali, in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo
The severe cyclonic storm, which brought in its wake heavy rain coupled with gale wind till early Sunday, uprooted hundreds of trees and snapped cables in Kolkata and its adjoining areas in North and South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore, bring life to a near-halt.
In North Parganas alone, five people were killed in separate incidents.
According to a senior police officer, a septuagenarian woman, Suchitra Mandal, died at Purba Makala village in Basirhat area of the district when a tree fell on her.
Several trees were also uprooted at Gokhna village, one of which claimed the life of Reba Biswas (47).
Manirul Gazi (59) was the third casualty in North 24 Parganas. He was electrocuted to death after coming in contact with a lamp post, the officer added.
Two more deaths, one due to wall collapse and another after coming under a falling tree, were also reported in the district, a state government official said.
In East Midnapore, too, a man died after he was crushed by a falling tree.
IMAGE: A villager walks past a damaged shop. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo
Earlier, on Saturday, even before the cyclone hit the coast, an employee of a renowned club in the city was killed when a branch of a cedar tree fell on him during heavy rain.
Torrential rain lashed the metropolis throughout Saturday, forcing people to remain indoors. Gale wind with gusts up to 135 kmph prevailed over the coastal districts of South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore and its adjoining areas in North 24 Parganas as the cyclone made landfall around midnight on Saturday.
Hundreds of uprooted trees have blocked thoroughfares in the state capital and its fringe areas, even as people braved the adverse conditions to come out of homes on Sunday afternoon as the weather improved.
IMAGE: Women collect their belongings from the remnants of their house. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo
The National Disaster Response Force, along with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, police and fire personnel, is working on a war footing to clear road blockades caused by fallen trees and branches.
“We have already engaged workers to clear the roads and pump out water from low-lying areas. We are hopeful our work will be over by tonight,” said a KMC official.
State disaster management minister Javed Khan said all emergency services have been put in place to ensure that the uprooted trees are removed at the earliest.
According to the IMD, the very severe cyclonic storm had weakened into severe cyclonic storm before making landfall close to Sunderban Dhanchi forest.
IMAGE: Trees sway as heavy wind induced by Cyclone Bulbul hits Bakkhali, in South 24 Parganas district. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo
“Yesterday’s very severe cyclonic storm ‘Bulbul’ over northwest Bay of Bengal (BoB) moved northeastwards, weakened into a severe cyclonic storm and crossed West Bengal coast close to Sunderban Dhanchi forest during 8.30 pm to 11.30 pm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph,” it said in an official release.
The Met department also predicted light to moderate rainfall over the next six hours from 12.30 pm in North and South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore and Nadia districts.
In a tweet, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday she would conduct an aerial survey of the affected areas around Namkhana and Bakkhali in South 24 Parganas.
IMAGE: A policeman stands next to damaged Fraserganj Coastal Police Station along a beach in the aftermath of cyclone ‘Bulbul’, at Fraserganj, in South 24 Parganas. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo
“Due to the severe cyclonic storm ‘Bulbul’, I have decided to postpone my North Bengal visit in the coming week. Instead, tomorrow I would take an aerial survey of the affected areas around Namkhana and Bakkhali.
“Later I would take a meeting at Kakdwip with administration to review relief and rehabilitation measures of the cyclone-affected people. I am also planning to visit the cyclone-affected areas of Basirhat of North 24-Parganas on 13 November, 2019,” Banerjee tweeted.
IMAGE: A family sits amongst the rubble of their house in the aftermath of cyclone. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo
State power minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay said measures were being taken to restore power supply in areas, where electric cables have been torn apart due to the cyclone.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah spok spoke with Banerjee about the situation arising out of the cylone and assured the state of all assistance to deal with the calamity.
“Reviewed the situation in the wake of cyclone conditions and heavy rain in parts of Eastern India,” the prime minister wrote on Twitter.
IMAGE: Villagers make through a flooded area following cyclone ‘Bulbul’ at Bakkhali. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo
Shah too wrote on Twitter that he has been closely monitoring the situation as cyclone Bulbul hits eastern India.
“We are continuously in touch with central and state relief agencies. Have spoken to CM @MamataOfficial and have assured all possible help. I pray to almighty for those who are braving out this adverse weather,” he said.
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