Cyclone Bulbul: CS holds meeting, flight operation shut till Sunday morning
second review meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), to monitor the situation and preparedness to deal with 'Very Severe Cyclone Bulbul' over the Bay of Bengal, which is likely to the affect coastal districts of the state and Odisha.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone has now intensified and is likely to cross the West Bengal coast by the late evening of November 9.
Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, accompanied by winds reaching up to 120 km ph and tidal waves up to one to two meter are expected, the IMD informed the NCMC.
The cyclone is expected to make a landfall at the West Bengal Coast at around 2000 hrs to 2200 hrs, it further said.
The Chief Secretaries of West Bengal and Odisha informed that necessary preparations have been made by them and the SDRF and Fire Service teams have been positioned.
"Fishing operations have been suspended and people in low-lying areas are being evacuated to shelter homes, whereas 16 teams of NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been positioned in West Bengal and additional teams are being deployed at the request of the states", the Chief Secretaries of both the States informed the NCMC.
Officials of the Ministry of Defence intimated that requisite number of ships, aircraft and specialised teams of Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Army and Air Force are on standby.
At the same time, all out efforts for timely restoration of power and telecommunication are in place.
In the wake of present situation, fight operations at Kolkata airport have been suspended from 1800 hrs on Saturday till 0600 hrs on Sunday.
The Cabinet Secretary assured the concerned states that all possible assistance, as required, will be provided.
While noting that about 59000 people have been evacuated by West Bengal government, Mr Gauba directed that all efforts to be made to evacuate the persons left behind in the areas likely to be affected.
He also stressed on the suspension of fishing operations until the situation became normal.
Senior officials of the Ministries of Home, Defence, Power, Telecommunication and Civil Aviation, as well as those from the IMD, NDRF and NDMA, attended the meeting.
Chief Secretaries from West Bengal and Orissa participated in the meeting through Video Conference.
