Three people were killed in Kolkata on Monday as cyclone Aila crossed the coast into West Bengal. There was no information from the coastal districts, where extensive damage was feared. As the cyclone that had formed in the Bay of Bengal hit Kolkata around 11 am on Monday, a large number of trees were uprooted, blocking major roads. The three victims, one in north Kolkata and two in the south, were killed by falling trees or house collapses, officials said.
Weather officials were expecting the wind speed to pick up to 100-120 km per hour as the full fury of the cyclone hits Kolkata by the evening. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the army had been asked to stand by for rescue operations.
Kolkata presented the spectacle of uprooted trees blocking roads, sign boards, traffic dividers and tree branches flying all around. The Metro Railway has ceased to operate as the two terminal stations at Tollygune in South and Dum Dum in North were inundadated and the tracks were under water. Suburban train services in Sealdah and Howrah have also been suspended for an indefinite period with rain water submerging the track in many places.
