Cyclone Fani triggers gusty wind in Bengal; creates destruction trail

Rain lashed Kolkata as cyclone Fani hits West Bengal by crossing Kharagpur earlier on Saturday. Trees were uprooted in towns in coastal West Bengal including Digha, Mandarmani, Tajpur, Sandehskhali and Contai as the storm surge forward. After crossing Kharagpur, it moved further in North-East direction with approximately a wind speed of 90 km/hour. NDRF personnel were clearing the uprooted trees from the road at Digha and other places.

"Severe Cyclone FANI weakened into a Cyclonic Storm and lay centred at 60 km NW of Kolkata at 0530 IST of 4th May. To weaken into Deep Depression and move into Bangladesh by noon," tweeted IMD. Heavy rains along with a wind speed of 175 kmph battered Odisha as cyclone Fani made landfall close to the temple town of Puri on Friday morning, leaving a trail of destruction in the state.

The cyclone, which crossed Odisha coast close to Puri coast between 8 am and 10 am, with a maximum wind speed of around 175 Kmph, caused "huge damage" in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, and Khordha districts. According to IMD, the cyclone will weaken into a deep depression and move into Bangladesh by noon.

(With inputs from agencies.)