Cyclone Bulbul: PM Modi holds talks with Mamata Banerjee, assures help

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held talks with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding Cyclone Bulbul and assured her of all possible help from the centre.

"Reviewed the situation in the wake of cyclone conditions and heavy rain in parts of Eastern India. Spoke to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee regarding the situation arising due to Cyclone Bulbul. Assured all possible assistance from the Centre. I pray for everyone's safety and well-being," Modi's tweet read.

Cyclonic storm Bulbul lay centred about 75 km east-northeast of Sundarban National Park in West Bengal, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday.

IMD's recent tweet read, "The cyclone is likely to weaken into a deep depression over coastal Bangladesh and adjoining south and north 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal during next six hours."

As per IMD's hourly bulletin released at 7:00 am, the weather agency stated that the 'severe' cyclonic storm Bulbul has weakened into a cyclonic storm and lay centered at 05:30 hours of today, over Bangladesh and adjoining coastal West Bengal.

IMD has further predicted light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy spells of rainfall likely to continue over the south and north 24 Parganas and Nadiya districts in West Bengal during the next three hours.

"Squally wind speed 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is likely to prevail over northwest Bay of Bengal off West Bengal coast during the next six hours," said IMD in its advisory.

The cyclone had made landfall around 8.30 pm on Saturday 60 kilometres east of Sagar Island and 100 kilometres south of Kolkata.