Cyclone Amphan: At least 72 Dead in West Bengal

At least 72 people in West Bengal lost their lives andaround 4.5 million people across 1,500 villages in Odisha have been affecteddue to Cyclone Amphan which hit India's eastern coast with winds gusting up to185 kmph, informed the state government.

Chief Secretary of Odisha Asit Tripathy told unioncabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba that there was no loss of lives in the state evenas the cyclone brought a heavy downpour and winds speeding up to 100 kmph insome coastal areas.

However, the cyclone hits West Bengal and Bangladesh which tore down power lines, uprooted trees, caused flooding, triggered mass evacuations and left at least 72 people dead in West Bengal.

In Odisha, nearly two lakh people were evacuated fromtheir homes and placed safely in different shelters during the cyclone. The governmentsent a total of 210 medical teams and 75 teams of veterinary doctors to theaffected areas, informed Odisha chief secretary. He also said that thecollectors have been asked to submit reports of the affected areas and thedamages caused in the two days.

The IMD, however, informed the state government earlierthat the wind speeds at Paradip and Dhamara coast would be around 135 kph whichturned out to be correct. The Odisha government said that the IMD made accuratepredictions on ferocious cyclonic storms like Fani (2019) and Phailin (2013).

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik separatelyconducted an aerial survey of the affected areas of the state's coastal andadjoining districts that took the brunt of Amphan.

In a tweet, Prime MinisterNarendra Modi said authorities were working on the ground to ensure allpossible assistance to the cyclone-hit people. "My thoughts are with the peopleof Odisha as the state bravely battles the effects of Cyclone Amphan.Authorities are working on the ground to ensure all possible assistance to thethose affected. I pray that the situation normalises at the earliest," Moditweeted.