IMD Issues Red Alert For Bengal, Heavy Rains Forecast In Next 24 Hours

The red alert comes as the Met department believes the depression formed in the Bay of Bengal is gaining strength and may become stronger by Wednesday.

Kolkata: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alert in West Bengal’s East Midnapore, West Midnapore and South 24 Parganas districts.

The red alert comes as the Met department believes the depression formed in the Bay of Bengal is gaining strength and may become stronger by Wednesday.

READ: Calcutta HC Dismisses Petition To Stay Bhabanipur Bypoll, Asks EC To Hold Election As Per Schedule

The sea is expected to remain rough until Wednesday. Strong winds of 40 to 50 kilometre per hour with a gusting of up to 60 kilometre per hour is likely to hit the coastal areas of South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore on Tuesday night.

The Met department has also predicted heavy to very heavy rains in Kolkata and North 24 Parganas too as strong winds up to 30 to 40 kilometre per hour are expected.

The district administrations have been asked to remove all the people residing in the low lying areas and in mud houses to the cyclone centres.

The fishermen have also been asked not to venture into the sea till October 5.

A senior official of the state secretariat said the state government had during Amphan, Yaas and Bulbul “made an extensive plan for evacuation, rescue and rehabilitation”, which produced good results.

“We want to follow the same now also,” he added.

The officer further said a central control room has been opened at the disaster management department which will be “in touch with the district administrations 24x7”.

“All leaves of the state government employees have been cancelled and they have been asked to stay prepared for any kind of eventuality,” he added.

IANS reported sources in the Kolkata Police as saying that they have formed 22 teams for the purpose of disaster management, seven of which will be stationed in the Bhabanipur area, which will go to the by-poll on September 30.

Earlier on Saturday, the Kolkata Police had opened a 24-hour control room at its headquarters in Lalbazar. The officers from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire brigade and disaster management department will also be present in the control room besides the city police.