Kolkata, November 9: Flight operations have been suspended at the Kolkata Airport in West Bengal for 12 hours starting at 6 pm on Saturday as Cyclone Bulbul has intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm. According to reports, the flight services have been suspended from 6 pm on Saturday to 6 am on Sunday. This means that no flights will land or takeoff from Kolkata airport for 12 hours. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked authorities to remain calm and co-operate with the administration in its rescue and relief efforts.  Cyclone Bulbul Update: Odisha, West Bengal to Brace for Heavy Rainfall Over Next 48 Hours As Cyclonic Storm Intensifies.

"Cyclone Bulbul is about to pass through Bengal. Our State Administration is closely monitoring the situation 24x7. We are taking all measures to tackle any contingency. Special Control Rooms have been set up and NDRF-SDRF teams are deployed", Mamata tweeted.

Here's the tweet:

In a series of tweet, Mamata informed that schools, colleges and anganwadi centres have been closed and more than 1 lac 20 thousand people have already been rescued from the vulnerable coastal areas. "Please do not panic. Kindly remain calm and co-operate with the administration in its rescue and relief efforts. Be alert, take care and stay safe", Mamata tweeted.

According to a tweet by ANI, HR Biswas, IMD Bhubaneswar said that severe cyclonic storm is currently over northwest Bay of Bengal moving towards West Bengal and Bangladesh coast. In the wake of the current weather conditions, heavy rainfall is also likely in north coastal districts of Odisha and West Bengal.

According to the Regional Meterological Centre, the storm is now located 110 kilometre south-southwest of the coastal resort of Digha in East Midnapore and Sagar islands in 24 Parganas South districts in West Bengal. The cyclonic storm is likely to weaken gradually on November 9 night and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Sagar island and Bangladesh's Khepurpara across Sundarban delta as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 110-120 kilometres per hour, gusting to 135 kilometre per hour.

Meanwhile, authorities in Bangladesh ordered the evacuation of about 18 lakh people from the low-lying coastal villages and islands as the country braced for a “very severe” cyclonic storm that is set to hit the country this evening.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 09, 2019 04:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).