Bengal Braces for Cyclone: Schools Closed, Disaster Teams Deployed

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced school closures in response to an impending cyclone. Teams from the NDRF and SDRF are deployed, and control rooms are operational. The cyclone is forecasted to hit between Puri and Sagar Island with severe wind speeds. Precautionary measures are ongoing.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that primary and secondary schools across nine districts will remain closed from Wednesday to October 26 due to a looming cyclone threat. The announcement comes as state and district-level integrated control rooms become operational around the clock to handle any looming disaster.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression, advancing towards India's eastern coast. With predictions of it becoming a severe cyclonic storm, local fishermen have been cautioned against going to sea, and public address systems are in place in coastal regions.

Banerjee emphasized that districts including South and North 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, and others could experience severe impacts from the cyclone. All residents in low-lying regions are being relocated to safer areas. Furthermore, ferry operations and tourist movements are restricted as precautions. A high-level meeting was conducted with multiple departments to ensure coordination.

(With inputs from agencies.)