Kolkata airport operations suspended for 12 hours

At the onset of the very severe cyclonic storm Bulbul, flight operations at the Kolkata airport were suspended for 12 hours beginning 6 pm on Saturday, while schools and colleges remained closed and offices registered low attendance. The West Bengal government has evacuated 120,000 people from coastal areas.

Hurtling high-speed cyclonic storm ‘Bulbul’, which claimed at least two lives and hit operations at Kolkata airport on Saturday, is set to make landfall by 11 pm on Saturday between Sagar Islands of West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh. It will then move northwestwards into the neighbouring country over the Sunderban delta.

The system is likely to weaken gradually after landfall as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained speed of 110 kilometre to 120 kilometre per hour with gusts up to 135 kmph, the Met department said in Kolkata.

Weathermen said that gale wind at a speed of 80 to 90 kmph was prevailing along and off the coastal and adjoining districts of West and East Midnapore, South and North 24 Parganas in the evening of Saturday and was likely to increase gradually to 110 to 120 kmph with gusts up to 135 kmph.

Squally wind with speed of 50 to 60 kmph with gusts up to 70 kmph was likely to prevail over Kolkata during the night, the Met office said.

One death each has been reported from Bengal and

Odisha due to heavy rain triggered by the very severe cyclonic storm Bulbul.

Rain lashed coastal West Bengal, uprooted trees leading to death of one person in the city. Continous downpouring 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 in a renowned club of the city, the officials said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said during the day she is monitoring the situation and the administration has taken all measures to tackle any contingency in view of cyclone Bulbul.

In Odisha, information about the death of one person due to a rain-related wall collapse incident has been received from Kendrapara district and the matter is being enquired, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena said.

“Due to very severe cyclone ‘Bulbul’, operations at Kolkata airport is being suspend from 1800 hours on November 9 up to 0600 hours on November 10,” a home ministry official said in the national capital.