Cyclone Amphan: 3 lakh evacuated from coastal belts

Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday held a high-level administrative meeting to review the arrangements in various south Bengal districts in view of cyclone Amphan that is expected to make a landfall in the coastal districts of the state on Wednesday.

To review all the arrangements, Banerjee has formed a task force, spearheaded by Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, which would review the situation and carry out rescue operations across the state.

"This cyclonic storm is going to be more disastrous than cyclone Aila. I urge all the people, especially those living in the coastal areas, to stay safe. They should not venture out in the open tomorrow after 12 noon.

We have opened an emergency helpline at the state secretariat Nabanna to keep a close watch on the situation," Banerjee told a press conference here.

Cyclone Amphan is expected make a landfall somewhere between West Bengal's Digha and Hatya Island in Bangladesh. A part of it may also make a landfall somewhere between Kakdwip and Sagar Island in the state's South 24 Parganas district at a minimum speed of 155-165 km/hour (maximum 185 km/hour).

"We have made necessary arrangements and started evacuating people in the coastal districts already. The state administration has so far evacuated over 3 lakh people from the coastal areas and shifted them to temporary cyclone centres," the Chief Minister said.