As super cyclone Amphan is expected to hit the coast of Bengal tomorrow, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the chief minister Mamata Banerjee over arrangements and preparedness while the state government evacuated around three lakh people to safer places till now.

State government has asked the Railways to suspend all the special trains till Thursday so that the stranded workers do not get into trouble while reaching their homes due to the storm.

Appealing people not to leave their houses from tomorrow afternoon till Thursday morning, Miss Banerjee said that some people are saying that Amphan will be worse than Ailaand Bulbul.

“The cyclone is expected to make a landfall on tomorrow afternoon and continue till Thursday morning. Rainfall will begin from late tonight itself. So I would request all people to remain inside their houses during this period. People who have been evacuated should also refrain from going outside their relief shelters till they receive clearance from administration,” said Banerjee at a press conference in Nabanna.

During the telephonic conversation with Banerjee this morning, Shah took stock of the situation in Bengal and assured of all possible help to deal with the situation. As per the weather office forecast the storm will have maximum impact in South 24-Parganas, followed by North 24-Parganas, East and West Midnapore as well as Kolkata.

Banerjee held a video conference with DMs and SPs of all districts, ministers and senior bureaucrats of all departments to review measures to prepare for the cyclone and mitigate its damage. Compared to Bulbul when a total of 1.8 lakh people were evacuated, this time, two lakh people have been evacuated from South 24-Parganas, 50,000 from North 24-Parganas, 40,000 from East Midnapore and 10,000 from West Midnapore.

Additional precautions are being taken in Sagar, Mousumi Islands, Fraserganj, Gosaba, Namkhana, Kakdwip, Basanti and Canning in South 24-Parganas; Hasnabad, Basirhat and Sandeskhali in North-24 Parganas; Ramnagar, Khejuri and Sutahata in East Midnapore and Datan and Narayangarh in West Midnapore. Banerjee said that to ensure hygiene and social distancing during the ongoing Corona pandemic, people staying at the cyclone shelters should always cover their faces with cloths.

The state government is prepared to handle the crisis and the chief secretary headed task force is working round the corner, she said. The chief minister said that the cyclone will have three parts ~ head, eye and tail ~ and asked people not to go outside immediately after the storm subsides as the next part of the storm can hit any moment.

“The wind speed can cause immense damage to crops, plantations, trees, mud houses and communication and electric poles. The storm also threatens lives of people and animals,” said Banerjee. Cyclone Amphan developed into a super cyclone over the Bay of Bengal yesterday and has the potential to cause extensive damage in the coastal districts of Bengal when it makes landfall, the government had said. In case of any problem, people can contact the disaster management control room by dialling toll free number 1070 or 22143526/1995.