A powerful cyclone Amphan that tore into West Bengal has killed 72 people and "completely devastated" two districts as Kolkata and several parts of the state wore a battered look on Thursday a day after the storm left thousands of people homeless, washed away bridges and swamped low-lying areas. The fiercest cyclone to hit West Bengal in 100 years that destroyed mud houses and agriculture crops, and uprooted trees and electric poles also wreaked havoc in Odisha damaging power and telecom infrastructure in several coastal districts. Odisha government officials estimated it has affected around 44.8 lakh people in the state.

"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 told the media after conducting a review meeting with officials.