Digha (West Bengal): With cyclone Fani making landfall on Friday morning in Odisha's Puri, its bordering state of West Bengal has sounded a 'Yellow alert', where fisherfolk in the coastal areas are struggling to save their fishing gear and other equipment from the wrath of the cyclonic storm.
"We are scared. We are dependent on fishing, but, our safety is a priority. Once the cyclone goes away we need to earn money. I can't bear damage to my fishing net," said a fisherman from Digha, a coastal town facing the Bay of Bengal.
Most of the fishermen in Digha live either in thatched huts or houses made of asbestos sheets, a structure that is highly susceptible to being destroyed by high-speed winds.
"The administration has alerted us regarding some severe storm. They have asked us not to stay here and move inside the village. Although there are not many cemented buildings, we will try to take shelter under one," said another member of the fishing community from Digha.
Also read: West Bengal under 'Yellow Alert', gears up against cyclone Fani
Digha, which is situated in the coastal region of Medinipur district, has witnessed a sudden change in weather since 10 pm on Thursday night. The sea waves have intensified with strong winds and rain.
The West Bengal government sounded an alert in coastal Digha, East Midnapore, and South 24 Parganas districts. Fishermen in these areas have been prohibited from venturing into the sea, and locals near the seashore have been moved to a 'multipurpose cyclone shelter' that was built in 2009 when Cyclone Aila hit the region.
Fani is being touted as one of the biggest cyclones to hit West Bengal in the last 43 years.
