Cyclone Bulbul LIVE Updates: NDRF teams help with rescue ops in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas; severe Cyclonic Storm weakens into cyclonic storm

NDRF teams stationed in West Bengal help with road clearance work in South 24 Parganas

Kolkata receives 104 mm rainfall 

Cyclone Bulbul brought torrential rains accompanied by strong winds over Kolkata in the last 24 hours. In the last two days, the city has received a whopping 104 mm of rain along with winds gusting up to 50-70 kmph, Skymet Weather reports.

Bulbul likely to weaken into deep depression in the next 6 hours

Severe Cyclonic Storm Bulbul weakened into a cyclonic storm and lay centered at 0530 hours over Bangladesh and adjoining coastal West Bengal. It is very likely to move East-North Eastwards across Bangladesh and is likely to weaken into a deep depression in the next six hours, says IMD.

Ferry services have been suspended at Bichali Ghat in Kolkata

WATCH: Visuals from South 24 Parganas after Bulbul makes landfall

Heavy rains and strong winds in South 24 Parganas after Cyclone Bulbul made a landfall on Saturday evening. Severe cyclonic storm Bulbul is very likely to move northeastwards to Bangladesh across South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. It is very likely to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm over coastal Bangladesh and adjoining South and North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal by 10 November morning, IMD said. 

Sea condition will be high to very rough over northeast Bay of Bengal for the next 12 hours

Sea condition will be high to very rough over northeast Bay of Bengal for the next 12 hours. Fishermen are advised not to venture into sea along and off north Odisha-West Bengal coasts in the next 12 hours, warned IMD. They’re advised not to venture into north Bay of Bengal for the next 18 hours.

Sea condition to be very rough in Northwest Bay of Bengal today

Sea condition will be high to very high along and off West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts for the next six hours and improve thereafter, the IMD was quoted as saying by ANI. 

Sea condition high to very high over northwest Bay of Bengal. It’s very likely to improve and become very rough to high by today and improve gradually thereafter, the IMD further added.

Heavy rains likely in South Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram in next 36 hours

Light to moderate rainfall at many places with isolated heavy rains very likely over South Assam and Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram in the next 36 hours, says IMD.

Heavy rains expected over West Medinipur, Howrah, Nadiya and Hooghly in the next 12 hours

Light to moderate rainfall at most places very likely, the IMD has issued a statement.

The weather body further said that light to moderate rains are likely over coastal districts of West Bengal with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places over North and South 24 Parganas, East Medinipur and isolated heavy rainfall over West Medinipur, Howrah, Nadiya and Hooghly in the next 12 hours.

Bulbul is very likely to move northeastwards to Bangladesh across South 24 Parganas in Bengal

Severe cyclonic storm Bulbul is very likely to move northeastwards to Bangladesh across South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. It is very likely to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm over coastal Bangladesh and adjoining South and North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal by 10 November morning, IMD said.

NDRF, SDRF teams stationed in Bengal, Odisha for eventuality

The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) had stationed a total of 34 teams in West Bengal and Odisha in view of the approaching severe cyclone Bulbul, a senior official told PTI. Seventeen teams each have been stationed in the two states and the NDRF is prepared to tackle any eventuality, NDRF Director General S N Pradhan said.

Besides six teams of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and 10 teams of NDRF deployed for the relief and rescue operations, the government has readied 1,335 civil defence personnel in case of any untoward incident. A total of 94 boats have also been deployed, a senior government official said.

An NDRF team has about 45 personnel. Pradhan said out of the total teams in Odisha, six have been deployed while the rest are in reserve. Similarly in West Bengal, 10 teams of the counter-disaster force have been deployed while the rest are on standby.

IndiGo cancels flights, offers alternate arrangements to passengers

IndiGo airlines on Saturday said it has implemented proactive cancellations and made alternate arrangements for its passengers in order to deal with severe cyclonic storm Bulbul, which made landfall between West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts on Saturday evening. “The peak hour of the cyclone is expected from 10 PM Saturday until 4 AM Sunday. All the passengers of the affected domestic flights are being notified and alternate arrangements being offered,“the low-cost carrier said in a statement.

With around 48 percent share in the domestic air passenger market, IndiGo is the largest airline in India.

Bulbul likely to weaken into deep depression in next 6 hrs

IMD said that severe cyclonic storm Bulbul weakened into a cyclonic storm and lay centered at 0530 hours of today, over Bangladesh and adjoining coastal West Bengal. It is very likely to move East-Northeastwards across Bangladesh and likely to weaken into a deep depression during next six hours.

RECAP: Bulbul lay centered over northwest Bay of Bengal

Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Bulbul lay centred at 2030 hrs on 9 November over northwest Bay of Bengal, 40 km east-southeast of Sagar Islands in West Bengal, 85 km east-SE of Digha, 125 km south-southwest of Kolkata, 100 km south-SW of Canning Town in Bengal and 210 km west-southwest of Khepupara in Bangladesh, says IMD.

Mamata Banerjee takes stalk of situation

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited a control room at the state secretariat on Saturday to monitor the situation. Bulbul made landfall in Bengal late on Saturday night. 

Cyclone Bulbul made landfall in Bengal late on Saturday

Cyclone Bulbul made landfall in West Bengal late on Saturday night, reports news agency ANI.

At 2.30am Cyclone Bulbul lay centred over coastal Bengal

Severe Cyclonic Storm Bulbul lay centred at 2.30 am, over coastal West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh, about 12 km southwest of Sundarban National Park (South 24 Parganas District of West Bengal)