Cyclone Amphan live updates: Cyclonic storm claims two lives in West Bengal, damages 5,500 houses

Extremely severe cyclonic storm 'Amphan' roared into West Bengal, making landfall at 2.30pm on Wednesday between Digha in the state and Hatiya island in Bangladesh, unleashing heavy rain and high-velocity winds that left a trail of destruction. Intense rainfall was also recorded in several areas of Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Ganjam, Ganjam, Bhadrak and Balasore districts of Odisha. Stay with TOI for all the latest updates: Current intensity of the storm near the centre is 140-150Kmph gusting to 165Kmph, reports ANI quoting IMD Union health minister Harsh Vardhan tweets video of cyclone landfall A glimpse of Super #CycloneAmphan making a #landfall at #Sundarbans. Prayers for people of #Odisha and #WestBengal. Stay alert and safe!#AmphanSuperCyclone #CycloneAmphanUpdate #Amphan Power cuts reported in some areas of Kolkata following heavy rain and strong winds due to Cyclone Amphan (ANI) 21:28 (IST), MAY 20 Now, the system will move north-northeasterly, will weaken gradually and then become a depression tomorrow: HR Biswas, director, IMD-Bhubaneswar (ANI) Odisha govt seeks preliminary report from districts The Odisha government has asked the district collectors to submit cyclone Amphan damage assessment reports within 48 hours. The cyclone has caused widespread damage in the coastal districts of the state. (IANS) 21:21 (IST), MAY 20 Amphan crossed as a very severe cyclonic storm. While crossing, its wind speed was 155-165kmph gusting to 185kmph. Now it's located at 35km northeast of Sagar island in West Bengal,70km south of Kolkata, 95km east-northeast of Digha: HR Biswas, director of IMD-Bhubaneswar (ANI) 5,500 houses damaged, two people dead and two others severely injured in North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal, as per the 7pm report by Basirhat sub-divisional officer 21:06 (IST), MAY 20 Vice president Venkaiah Naidu Naidu expresses concern over Cyclone Amphan (PTI) 20:40 (IST), MAY 20 Amphan wreaks havoc in Kolkata ANI ✔ @ANI West Bengal: Streets in Kolkata waterlogged, trees uprooted and houses damaged due to strong winds and heavy rain as #Amphan crossed West Bengal-Bangladesh coast between Digha (West Bengal) and Hatiya Islands (Bangladesh) across Sunderbans, between 1530 and 1730 hrs today. We are keeping a close watch on the situation. The storm has caused some trees getting uproted and power failure in various parts of the city. We have shifted a number of people from old dilapidated buildings in Kolkata to temporary rescue centres. Some of them have, however, refused to get relocated. Our officials are monitoring the situation on an hourly basis. Firhad Hakim, administrator, Kolkata Municipal Corporation 20:11 (IST), MAY 20 Howrah and Hoogly recorded maximum wind speed at 130kmph at 7.30pm 20:10 (IST), MAY 20 QUOTE The situation is fast-transforming. It is a long haul. The duty of NDRF and other agencies does not end with landfall of the cyclone. Work actually begins after landfall in the form of relief and restoration. NDRF chief SN Pradhan 20:06 (IST), MAY 20 Wind speed has reduced marginally at Dumdum but Kolkata is still witnessing heavy showers 20:02 (IST), MAY 20 Maximum wind speed recorded in Kolkata was 133kmph at 7.20pm 19:58 (IST), MAY 20 All 20 units of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) stationed in Odisha have been deployed in the state, while as many units have been pressed into service in West Bengal for relief and rescue efforts in the wake of Cyclone Amphan: NDRF director general SN Pradhan (PTI) 19:51 (IST), MAY 20 Power supply cut off in North and South 24 Parganas of West Bengal (ANI) Power supply has been cut off in North and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal as per chief minister Mamata Banerjee's orders in view of Cyclone Amphan landfall. 19:46 (IST), MAY 20 Maximum wind speed recorded in Kolkata (Dumdum) 130kmph at 6.55pm. 19:45 (IST), MAY 20 Super cyclone ‘Amphan’ is crossing West Bengal coast between Digha and Hatiya across Sunderbans. Half of eye of the cyclone has reached the land. The entire eye will be over land within next one hour. 19:19 (IST), MAY 20 Traffic movement stopped on Christopher Road in Kolkata after a live electricity wire got snapped from poll due to strong winds 19:17 (IST), MAY 20 Several roads remained blocked in Tangra area in Kolkata due to uprooting of trees. Several shops on Gabina Khatik Road and New Tangra Road have been damaged 19:15 (IST), MAY 20 Over 5,200 houses got damaged in North 24 Parganas district's in Minakhan, Haroa, Basirhat Hingalgunj, Hasnabad areas due to the strong winds: Officials 19:05 (IST), MAY 20 'Amphan' weakens into very severe cyclone storm Cyclone 'Amphan' weakened into a very severe cyclone storm, while half of its eye is over land and the entire eye will be over too soon, the India Meteorological Department said on Wednesday evening. (IANS) 19:04 (IST), MAY 20 Visuals from a quarantine centre at Dankuni in West Bengal