As cyclone Amphan intensified with a speed of up to 190 kmph on Wednesday, it devasted the Odisha and West Bengal coastal areas with heavy rains and destruction around the farmland, and leaving at least 10 people dead.
While a man and a woman were reported killed when trees came crashing down on them in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, a 13-year-old girl died in a similar incident in adjoining Howrah. At least two people, including an infant, lost their lives as Cyclone Amphan ravaged through coastal Odisha.
Inspite of the government making elaborate arrangements to evacuate people in coastal areas to shelter homes, the first casualty of the storm was a 57-yr-old woman of Satbhaya in Kendrapara who reportedly stayed back at home instead of moving to the nearest shelter home. While a two-month-old baby boy died due to wall collapse in Kampada village in Tihidi block of Bhadrak district.
The intensity of the cyclone near its centre because the landfall process started was recorded at 160-170 kmph, gusting to 190 kmph, it said.
Heavy rain and gale wind have affected several districts within the Gangetic West Bengal since morning and therefore the intensity of the downpour and wind increased gradually with every passing hour.
At 3.05 pm, wind speed at Dum Dum airport was recorded at 76 km per hour, the Met said.
The system is probably going to manoeuvre north-north-eastwards after landfall and pass on the brink of Kolkata in its eastern side causing extensive damage and flooding of low-lying areas of the town , the Met department warned.
said.