Central team visits cyclone-affected districts of West Bengal

The officials from various departments of the central government held meetings following the cyclone 'Bulbul' here. They have assessed the extent of damage caused by the calamity. The death toll due to the cyclone has risen to 14 in the state.

Kolkata(West Bengal): A central team on Friday visited cyclone 'Bulbul'-affected areas in North and South 24 Parganas and Purba Midnapore districts in West Bengal to assess the extent of damage caused by the calamity.

The officials from various departments of the central government held meetings with the district magistrates, elected members of panchayat bodies and locals.

"We visited the areas affected by the cyclone to assess the extent of devastation. We have spoken to all the people concerned," a member of the central team said.

"The team members have taken a note of what we have gathered from our meetings in these districts. We will now submit a report to the central government," he said.

The death toll due to the cyclone has risen to 14 in the state.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, after conducting an aerial survey of the cyclone-hit areas, had said on Wednesday that the loss incurred by the state due to the catastrophe might go up to Rs 50,000 crore.

She said that at least 15 lakh hectares of agricultural land were damaged due to the storm.

Banerjee said that six lakh people have been affected and over five lakh houses damaged due to the cyclone, which made landfall late on Saturday between Sagar Islands in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh.

The state government has also constituted a task force in the three districts to look into the distribution of relief materials.