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Bengal

IMD issues orange alert for Bengal

Cyclone Bulbul likely to bring moderate to heavy rains in Kolkata; fishermen asked not to venture into deep sea

Kolkata: The state government has made elaborate arrangements to combat the impact of Cyclone Bulbul which is likely to make a landfall between Sagar Island and Khepupara in Bangladesh on Saturday midnight.

G K Das, director, Indian Meteorological department, Kolkata, said "Bulbul," the severe cyclonic storm, will hit the land in between Sagar Island and Khepupara in Bangladesh with wind speed varying between 120 km and 135 km per hour. As a result, there will be heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coastal areas of East and West Midnapore, North and South 24-Parganas and Jhargram. Kolkata will experience cloudy sky and gusty winds with speed varying anything between 50 km per hour and 70 km per hour. The city will receive moderate to heavy rainfall.

A orange alert has been sounded in the coastal areas and fishermen have been asked not to go out into the deep sea. Four thousand and five hundred fishing trawlers have come back as well. The police officials in South 24-Parganas have requested people living in the low lying areas to leave the place through the public address system.

The state administration has opened a control room at Nabanna and will keep constant touch with the state Irrigation and Waterways department. The Disaster Management personnel have been kept on alert as well.

Mayor Firhad Hakim, who held a high-level meeting with senior civic officials, said leaves of all the employees of Solid Waste Management department have been cancelled and a control room will be opened at the headquarters of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on SN Banerjee Road. If required Hakim will man the team of civic officials in the control room.

"The KMC is ready to combat the impact of "Bulbul". The KMC's disaster management team and solid waste management teams have been kept ready," he said.

The School Education department has issued an order declaring holiday in all primary schools in Kolkata, North and South 24-Parganas, East and West Midnapore and Jhargram.

The East Midnapore district administration has asked all tourists in Digha not to loiter on the sea beach. Many tourists have left the place and are on way to Kolkata. In Bakkhali, tourists have been asked not to go near the beach.

People living in low-lying areas of the Sunderbans, Frasergunj and Kakdwip have been evacuated. Police personnel and officials of the state Irrigation and Waterways department have intensified vigil along the coastal embankments.

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