With cyclone Ampan crystallising into a super cyclonic storm threatening large parts of coastal Bengal the State Government went on a high alert suspending ferry services in all districts and transporting vulnerable villagers to safer areas, source said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who called an emergency meeting of top officials said the “Government is taking all necessary precautions like it did on earlier occasions to minimise the damage.”
Bengal Home Secretary Alapon Bandopadhyay said “the entire state machinery is prepared to deal with the situation” adding disaster management teams were being sent to the high risk areas like North and South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore including the coastal town of Digha a much sought after tourist destination. The Government had arranged for shelters following social distancing norms the Home Secretary said adding National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams had been put on high alert to conduct rescue and relief operations
High alert had been issued in two 24 Parganas, particularly the Sundreban areas and East Midnapore, he said adding senior officials were camping in the stated areas.
Super cyclonic storm Amphan is hurtling towards Digha at a high speed of about 180 kmph weather office said adding during landfall sometime on Wednesday the wind speed could be around 140-160 kmph. In fact a day before on Tuesday the wind speed could be around 60-80 kmph, weather office sources said.
'Amphan'(pronounced UM-PUN) had turned into an extremely severe cyclonic storm and gathered more strength over Bay of Bengal while moving slowly towards the coast. It has now intensified further into a super cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
It was likely to hit the land somewhere around Digha in Bengal and Hatia island in Bangladesh, MET sources said.
The bitter memories of super cyclones like Aila, Bulbul and Fani still fresh in their minds the farmers were extremely worried about their harvests, sources said adding many they were working extra time to save as much crops as possible renting harvesting machine even for a premium.