Cyclone Aila hits WB, over 20 killed

Kolkata, May 25; Cyclone Aila made a landfall in West Bengal today, killing over 20 people, affecting over a lakh and leaving behind a trail of destruction before gradually weakening."The cyclone, now lying stationery 50 km west of Kolkata, hit the West Bengal coast at 1.30 pm near Sagar Island. It is moving in a northerly direction and will weaken gradually," Regional Meteorological Centre Director GC Debnath told PTI tonight."Rains, however, will continue throughout tomorrow," he said.A severe storm with a wind speed of 110 kmph accompanied by heavy rainfall preceded the cyclone that had formed in the Bay of Bengal from a very deep depression last night.It ripped through Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Burdwan and East Midnapore districts at 110 kmph, killing at least 19 people and affected a population of 1.10 lakh, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Finance Minister Ashim Dasgupta told newsmen here. Unofficial reports, however, put the toll at 26 and the number of affected at over two lakh. The Chief Minister said that the cyclone's tail was now in neighbouring How-rah district and had spared Kolkata.Dasgupta said the army was moving into Sandesh-khali and Hingalganj in North 24 Parganas and Gosaba, Patharpratima and Sagardwip areas in South 24 Parganas districts.The BSF would rescue people marooned by heavy rains at Sandeshkhali tomorrow morning.Railway Minister Mama-ta Banerjee would visit Kakdwip in South Parganas district tomorrow.