Cyclone rips through three districts of West Bengal, 800 left homeless
CM cuts short London trip as state deals with emergency-like situation.
Parts of Howrah, Burdwan and Nadia have also been affected owing to cyclone and heavy rain with officials saying that weather conditions will remain the same for at least next 48 hours.
"Heavy to very heavy rain is expected along the Gangetic areas in the next 48 hours," a senior Met Department official said.
In Nadia, the storm hit Haringhata area Wednesday afternoon, its SDO Swapan Kumar Kundu said.
The storm flattened about 400 kuchcha houses, uprooted 3,000 trees and 200 electric posts in Kalyani sub-division, Nadia's zilla parishad member Chanchal Debnath said.
Three camps have been erected to arrange meals for people who have lost their houses. The camps will run till Thursday night. Food was being provided to the infants of the evacuees and fodder to the cattle, he added.
The SDO said officials have rushed to the affected areas and tarpaulins have been sent.
In Howrah district, the storm struck Chara Panchla Badamtala village in Panchla area late Tuesday night. It damaged 80 houses and flattened 20 others, rendering over 200 people homeless, district authorities said.
Tin roofs of some houses were flown almost 1 kilometer away, an official of the local panchayat in North Parganas district said, adding that the homeless people have taken shelter in an under-construction hostel and local factories.
Food Minister Jyotipriya Mullick said the affected people, the number of whom was not specified, have been sent to relief camps. Mullick said train services in Sealdah-Bangaon section was also affected as uprooted trees fell on tracks during the storm.
"The disaster was widespread. We have started relief operations. I have spoken to the state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim who said that the state would build homes for those who lost their houses in the cyclone. We are currently preparing a list of the affected families," Mullick said.
District Magistrate Manmeet Kaur Nanda said that Swarupnagar Gaighata areas have been affected by flood. "No casualties have been reported," he added.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has curtailed her London trip and is scheduled to return late Wednesday night. "I am taking the night flight back from London because of the impending cyclone. Have spoken to Home Secretary. Taking all precautions," the Chief Minister tweeted. Mamata was scheduled to return on July 31.
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien, who is also coming back with her, however said that she would attend two scheduled meetings in London before her departure.
O'Brien, who is also coming back with her, however said that she would attend two scheduled meetings in London before her departure.
Earlier, state Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee said that the release of water from barrages have been restricted and reduced.
"But, at some point, we will have to release the water. Heavy rain at local catchment areas has been another concern for us. There is a forecast that the low lying depression on Bay of Bengal will bring very heavy rain from Thursday afternoon. We are prepared for any calamity. River embankments are being made higher and our engineers have been stationed at different places," he said.
The task force which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had formed before leaving for London to deal with the flood situation has also been active, dealing with the situation. Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee, who heads the task force, held a video conference with the district magistrates from Nabanna.
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