Cyclone Bulbul makes landfall at Sagar Island near Kolkata

Cyclone ‘Bulbul’ made landfall at West Bengal’s Sagar island around 8 pm on Saturday and is expected to move northeastwards into neighbouring Bangladesh, hovering over the Sunderbans delta. After making landfall, the cyclone was downgraded from a very severe cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm. It is expected to stay in that category for only a few hours after which its wind speed will drop considerably.

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The Kolkata unit of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclone’s landfall process has started — while it has begun entering the landmass, the entire process will take three hours to complete before the eye of the storm lies over the land. South 24-Parganas district of Bengal is likely to experience wind speed of 120-130 kmph. The cyclone is very likely to move northeastwards, weaken gradually and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Islands (WB) and Khepupara (Bangladesh), across Sunderban delta during next three hours as a Severe Cyclonic Storm.

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Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, monitoring the situation, said the administration apprehends large-scale destruction to property. "But we will only be able to assess the destruction after daybreak tomorrow," she had said. "The main impact of the storm is now over, we are bracing for the lesser impact. We are advising people not to venture out until the situation is stable."

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Two deaths due to Cyclone Bulbul

Meanwhile, due to strong winds and rainfall triggered by the very severe cyclonic storm, one death has been reported from Bengal and Odisha each. Continuous downpour since the early hours of Saturday left parts of Kolkata and its adjoining suburbs with waterlogged streets and overflowing drains. Trees were uprooted in various parts of the city killing one person, officials said. In Odisha, one person died in a rain-related wall collapse incident in Kendrapara district and the matter is being enquired, informed Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena.

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(with ANI input)