Mamata cancels political rallies in wake of 'Fani'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to cancel all her political rallies over the next 48 hours, in wake of Cyclone 'Fani', which she said could be an 'impending disaster'.

Kolkata: In view of the cyclonic storm 'Fani', West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has cancelled all her election rallies for the next 48 hours.

• Have cancelled my rallies for the next 48 hours because of what could be an impending disaster #CyclonicStormFANI We are monitoring the situation 24x7 and doing all it takes. I appeal to all people to cooperate. Be alert, take care and stay safe for the next two days

  — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 3, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Have cancelled my rallies for the next 48 hours because of what could be an impending disaster #CyclonicStormFANI We are monitoring the situation 24x7 and doing all it takes. I appeal to all people to cooperate. Be alert, take care and stay safe for the next two days

  — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 3, 2019

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  Have cancelled my rallies for the next 48 hours because of what could be an impending disaster #CyclonicStormFANI We are monitoring the situation 24x7 and doing all it takes. I appeal to all people to cooperate. Be alert, take care and stay safe for the next two days

  — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 3, 2019

As the extremely severe cyclonic storm made landfall earlier today in Odisha, Banerjee took to Twitter to announce her decision. "Have cancelled my rallies for the next 48 hours because of what could be an impending disaster #CyclonicStormFANI We are monitoring the situation 24x7 and doing all it takes. I appeal to all people to cooperate. Be alert, take care and stay safe for the next two days," she wrote.

According to reports, Banerjee will be camped at Kharagpur, which is near the coastal belt, to monitor the situation herself.

After the landfall, the cyclone system is passing through the length of Odisha, before it is expected to enter neighbouring West Bengal.

The West Bengal government and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation are bracing for a severely stormy weekend. People living in low lying areas were shifted to safer places. Schools were asked to advance summer vacations as Fani hovered around 835 km southwest of Kolkata and 650 km south-southwest of Digha.

Steps were also afoot to 'accommodate occupants of dilapidated buildings in nearby schools'. Heavy to very heavy rains are predicted over Medinipur, 24 South Parganas, Kolkata, Howrah, Bankura, Hooghly and Bardhaman.

By Saturday, rains are expected to cover central parts of the state -- Krishnanagar, Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Malda. Light to moderate rains are predicted, along with one or two heavy spells over these areas.

By Sunday, the cyclonic storm Fani is expected to lose strength and move towards Bangladesh. As a result, the weather would gradually start clearing up over the entire state, weather forecasts predicted.

Read: LIVE: 'Fani' hits Odisha; triggers heavy rain, high-speed winds