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News Desk: West Bengal government begins preparations for Cyclone Yaas which is slated to make landfall on Wednesday between Odisha’s Balasore District and West Bengal’s Sagar Island as per the MET office.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee informed today that state government had begun preparations at least two weeks ago. The West Bengal government has set up 24×7 control rooms in Nabanna, the state secretariat and its annex administrative building Upanna from where the cyclone will be monitored.
In the meantime, the NDRF has already deployed 35 teams in Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Purba & Paschim Medinipur districts. Four columns of Army has also been requested to be on standby.
“We plan to evacuate 10 lakh people from the low lying coastal areas into cyclone shelter homes. 4,000 such shelters are already available since Cyclone Amphan last year. I would urge all those staying in temporary homes to please cooperate with the administration and move into cyclone centers”, appealed CM Mamata. She also urged the fishermen not to venture into the water for the next 72 hrs as the state remains on high alert.
“As per the report, 20 districts of West Bengal will be severely affected due to cyclone Yaas. This includes north & south 24 Parganas, Purba & Paschim Midnapore, Hooghly, Howrah, Birbhum, Nadia, Jhargram and Mursidabad. Malda, Darjeeling and Kalimpong will receive heavy rainfall”, alerted CM Mamata while addressing the media.
So far the West Bengal Government has formed 51 disaster relief teams, special focus also being given on hospitals battling the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure steady supply of oxygen and medicines.
The Chief Minister also informed, Calcutta Electricity Supply Corproration is ready to fight the after effects of the cyclone. She appealed to remain alert and not panic as the next 72 hours the state will be facing nature’s fury.
