Cyclone Amphan Makes Landfall At Digha In West Bengal

KOLKATA: Cyclonic storm ‘Amphan' made landfall at Digha in West Bengal on Wednesday. The cyclone with a wind speed of 160-170 kmph, gusting to 190 kmph and coupled with heavy rains hit the Digha coast in East Medinipur district around 2.30 pm, officials said.

The landfall process was estimated to continue for four hours, bringing heavy rain and triggering three to five metre-high tidal waves, the meteorological department said.
The cyclone barreled through coastal districts of West Bengal, unleashing copious rain and windstorm, blowing away thatched houses, uprooting trees, electric poles and swamping low lying towns and villages, officials said.

The cyclone's impact was felt in Kolkata as medium to heavy rainfall was recorded. Several trees and electric poles were uprooted, causing power cut and road blockades in many areas.

The cyclone is likely to weaken and move through Nadia and Murshidabad districts as a cyclonic storm and then into Bangladesh as a deep depression on Thursday morning, the meteorological department said.

“The cyclone is still on and will continue for a few more hours. We are assessing the situation,” a senior state official said.

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