IMD Issues Red Alert as Heavy Rains & Cyclone Impact Hit West Bengal

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light to moderate rainfall today over most places, with heavy to very heavy rain expected in the East and West Midnapore and Jhargram districts, as well as South 24 Parganas in West Bengal.

 A red alert has been issued. An orange alert has been issued in Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Bankura, and Purulia districts. An incessant downpour is being experienced in the nine southern districts of Bengal today. The Met department has also predicted rainfall over East and West Midnapore and Jhargram districts tomorrow.

Severe cyclonic storm Dana has become a deep depression, and by midnight today it will become a depression. On the other hand, a report of one death has come from the Pathar Pratima island of South 24 Parganas district, but the government has informed us that a twenty-year-old



person has died while fixing cable inside his house. It is assumed that the death is not directly related to the effects of the cyclonic storm.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee chaired a meeting with the district officials yesterday. Details have been sought from the district officials regarding damages to crops and kutcha houses in the districts. Mamata Banerjee has informed the press that the National Disaster Response Force NDRF and State Disaster Response Force SDRF will be at ground zero till the situation improves, and people at the flood shelters will not return to their homes at this moment. 

Meanwhile, IMD has warned fishermen not to venture into the sea until today. Storm surges above astronomical tide have inundated low-lying areas in East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal.