Cyclone Amphan: Shah speaks to Mamata, Naveen

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday held separate telephonic conversation with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the preparations for cyclone Amphan.

Shah assured to provide all Central assistance, a Home Ministry official said.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba chaired the third meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review the preparedness of states and Central Ministries/Agencies to deal with the cyclonic storm.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that the Super Cyclone is expected to impact the West Bengal coast by the afternoon/evening of 20th May.

Very high wind speeds ranging up to 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph are expected, accompanied by heavy rainfall and storm surges of 4-5 metres in the coastal districts of the State.

Districts of East Medinipur, South & North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, and Kolkata are expected to be impacted.

The damage potential of the cyclone is expected to be higher than that of Cyclone ‘Bulbul’, which hit the West Bengal Coast on 9th November 2019.

The cyclone will also bring heavy rainfall, squally winds and storm surges in the coastal districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Balasore in Odisha.

Chief Secretary, Odisha and Additional Chief Secretary, West Bengal apprised the NCMC of preparatory measures taken by them.

They informed that evacuation of people from the low lying areas is being carried out.