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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will conduct an aerial survey of cyclone Amphan-affected areas today, official sources said.
When asked whether the prime minister will make an aerial survey of both West Bengal and Odisha, the sources did not specify and said he will take the survey of "cyclone-affected areas".
Chief ministers Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik would join the prime minister during the aerial survey in their respective states.
The decision to conduct the survey comes hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the Prime Minister to visit the areas ravaged by the cyclone.
"I have never witnessed such a fierce cyclone and destruction in my life. I would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come and visit Cyclone Amphan-affected areas," Banerjee said.
Extremely severe cyclone 'Amphan' has killed at least 72 persons in West Bengal and ravaged Kolkata and several parts of the state as it left behind a trail of destruction by uprooting trees, destroying thousands of homes and swamping low-lying areas of the state. Banerjee also announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for those killed in the Cyclone.
"So far as per the reports we have received, 72 people have died in the state due to Cyclone Amphan. Two districts – North and South 24 Parganas are completely devastated. We have to rebuild those districts from scratch. I would urge the Central government to extend all help to the state," Banerjee said after conducting a review meeting with officials.
Kolkata and several other parts of West Bengal wore a battered look on Thursday after the extremely severe cyclone 'Amphan' ripped through the state, leaving several dead and blowing up shanties, uprooting thousands of trees besides swamping low-lying areas.
(With agency inputs)
