Cyclone Amphan LIVE Updates: PM Announces Rs 500 Cr Relief Package for Odisha after Rs 1,000 Cr for Bengal

Expressing solidarity with the people of Odisha and deep sorrow for the lives lost, Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured in the cyclone in the state: Government of India

The government will further help Odisha and make the rest of the arrangements to help recover from this crisis after the complete survey and the formation of a rehabilitation plan, says PM Narendra Modi.

Rs 500 Cr Relief Package for Odisha: PM | Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces Rs 500 Crore immediate relief package for cyclone-ravaged parts of Odisha.

PM Holds Review Meeting in Odisha | Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a review meeting with senior officials and ministers of Odisha in Bhubaneswar after his aerial survey of the areas affected due to the cyclone. CM Naveen Patnaik, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi are also present.

Odisha: Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a review meeting with senior officials and minister of the state in Bhubaneswar after his aerial survey of the areas affected due to #CycloneAmphan. CM Naveen Patnaik, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan & Pratap Sarangi are also present. pic.twitter.com/MZEHtn4wxt

— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2020

Nepal government is grieved over the loss of lives and the destruction of properties in West Bengal due to Cyclone Amphan. The government extends its heartfelt condolences to bereaved families of deceased as well as to the Indian government. It also wishes speedy recovery of the injured: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal

Workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) visit areas ravaged by the cyclone as they join 21 other opposition parties in calling upon the Centre to declare Amphan a national calamity.

#Amphan has caused devastating damage in WB midst of a grim struggle combatting the #COVID. Our Comrades have started relief & rehabilitation work. These photos are from #Kolkata. We demand immediate declaration of national calamity by Central Govt. #RedVolunteers pic.twitter.com/2WMGeIjtKN

— CPI(M) WEST BENGAL (@CPIM_WESTBENGAL) May 22, 2020

TMC MP Nusrat Jahan visits cyclone-affected areas in Bengal. 

Visited worst-hit areas of my Constituency Basirhat today & met people put up in Shelter Homes at Minakhan & Haroa.
We are all together in this.
We need to take proper precautions to prevent CORONA & fight this natural disaster caused by Amphan.
We shall overcome!#PrayForBengal pic.twitter.com/lwRbiRT3o1

— Nusrat (@nusratchirps) May 22, 2020

Another video released by news agency AFP shows broken levee and ravaged homes in Bangladesh.

Drone video: Cyclone Amphan breaks levee, ravages homes in Bangladesh.

Waters rise in Shyamnagar, in southern Bangladesh, after Cyclone Amphan broke a levee and forced residents to flee their farms pic.twitter.com/F7Kv7RUkJV

— AFP news agency (@AFP) May 22, 2020

WATCH VIDEO | Kolkata witnessed flooded streets and uprooted trees all over the city as Cyclone Amphan left behind a trail of destruction.

VIDEO: Kolkata awoke to flooded streets, uprooted trees and cars window-deep in water on Thursday, after eastern India and Bangladesh were hit by Cyclone Amphan pic.twitter.com/892CeIYsnq

— AFP news agency (@AFP) May 22, 2020

Meanwhile, the opposition meet also took stock of the Covid-19 situation and the migrant crisis. Sonia Gandhi in her opening remarks said that spirit of federalism has been forgotten. "The government has also abandoned any pretence of being a democratic government. All power is now concentrated in one office, the PMO. The spirit of federalism which is an integral part of our Constitution is all but forgotten. There is no indication either if the two Houses of Parliament or the Standing Committees will be summoned to meet. "

The meeting of opposition parties called by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was attended by the leaders of the TMC, NCP, DMK and Left parties, among others.

22 Killed in Bangladesh | Bangladesh began assessing the damage caused by Cyclone Amphan that killed at least 22 people and left many displaced in the country's coastal areas. The powerful cyclone has caused Taka 11 billion (USD 129 million) in damage to the housing, infrastructure, fisheries and livestock, water resources and agriculture in Bangladesh, according to initial government estimates, Md Enamur Rahman, state minister for disaster management and relief, revealed the figure in a virtual press conference on Thursday. At least 26 districts across the country have been affected by the cyclone, the minister said.

Dalai Lama Condoles Cyclone Deaths | Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has written to Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik, chief ministers of West Bengal and Odisha respectively, expressing his sympathy for the loss of lives and property in the two states ravaged by cyclone Amphan. In his letters to the two chief ministers, the Buddhist leader said he is making a donation from the Dalai Lama Trust for the relief and rebuilding efforts "as a mark of solidarity with the people of West Bengal and Odisha."

The resolution was passed in the beginning of the meeting between 22 like-minded parties on the death and devastation caused by the cyclone.

Text of the Resolution | "Opposition Parties therefore urge the central government to immediately declare this as a national calamity and substantially help the states in facing the impact of this disaster. At this juncture, relief and rehabilitation should be the top most priority. But the possibility of an outbreak of other diseases as a result of such calamity must also not be ignored. Henceforth, we the Opposition Parties call upon the central government to provide urgent help to our fellow citizens/countrymen."

Declare Cyclone 'Amphan' National Calamity: Oppn | The Opposition parties passed a resolution calling upon the government call the Cyclone a national calamity and provide urgent help to the people. "A natural calamity like Cyclone Amphan has come as a double blow, breaking the spirits of the people. People in both these states urgently need support and solidarity of the governments and people of the country," they said.

PM Modi is expected to conduct the aerial survey for over an hour. After his return from the aerial survey, Modi is scheduled to review the cyclone situation and measures taken for restoration and relief in the affected areas.

PM Modi is scheduled to fly over the districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore adjoining West Bengal, according to reports.

PM Modi Coducts Aerial Survey of Odisha | The prime minister, accompanied by the Odisha governor and the chief minister, left for the aerial survey by a special air force chopper. Union ministers Pradhan and Sarangi flew in a separate chopper for the survey.

According to reports, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has spoken to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over phone to enquire about the damages caused by extremely severe Cyclone Amphan.

Mamata After Meet With PM Modi | Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee - "We have to help people so we have started relief work. I told PM Modi that we will get Rs 53,000 Cr from central government regarding food subsidy, social schemes and central schemes, wherever our money is there. So I said you try to give some money to us so that we can work in this crisis."

PM Modi Received by CM Odisha in Bhubaneswar | PM Narendra Modi received by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Governor Ganeshi Lal on arrival at Bhubaneswar Airport. The PM will be conducting an aerial survey of the areas affected by Cyclone Amphan.

Odisha: PM Narendra Modi received by CM Naveen Patnaik and Governor Ganeshi Lal on arrival at Bhubaneswar Airport. The PM will be conducting an aerial survey of the areas affected by #CycloneAmphan. pic.twitter.com/QsQmXBZmU9

— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2020

More than 14 lakh people in Kolkata have been living without electricity since Wednesday night.

PM Modi Reaches Bhubaneshwar Airport | Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached Bhubaneshwar airport to review the situation due to Cyclone Amphan in the state.

Mamata on PM Modi's Amphan Relief | West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said - "He (PM Modi) announced Rs 1,000 Crore for the emergency fund but he didn't clarify whether it'll be advance or a package. He said he'll decide later on but he said it may be advance also. I said whatever you will give you decide, we'll give you details."

Cyclone Amphan Through Pictures | A police officer moves a barricade to block a road leading to a flyover before Cyclone Amphan had made its landfall, in Kolkata, West Bengal. (Reuters/Rupak De Chowdhuri)

Odisha Says No Casualties Due to Amphan | Though there were reports of two cyclone-related deaths in Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Jena claimed the causes were different. As per the collectors of these districts (Bhadrak and Kendrapara), there was no confirmed death due to cyclone, he told PTI. It is a fact that two people, a 4-year-old child and a 67-year-old woman, died on May 19 but their deaths were not because of the cyclone, the official said.

Odisha: No Loss of Life in State | The Odisha government said on Friday that there has been no confirmation of any loss of human life in the state due to cyclone Amphan though it affected nearly 45 lakh people and damaged a large number of houses in the coastal districts.

Several roads have been blocked, shops damaged, and streets waterlogged from the heavy rainfall during high tide. Embankment breaches have occurred throughout the state while water inundation and wind…

Districts Which Faced Damage in WB | Large-scale damage to infrastructure, public and private property was reported from North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly districts in West Bengal due to Cyclone Amphan.