New Delhi/Kolkata, Nov 9 (IANS): The Airport Authority of India (AAI) on Saturady has said it will suspend operations at the Kolkata airport, owing to the expected landfall of Cyclone Bulbul, as a precautionary measure.

According to a government official, the operation at the airport will be suspended from 6 p.m. on Saturday to 6 a.m. on Sunday.

"The operations will be suspended as a precautionary measure due to the severity of the approaching Cyclone," the official told IANS.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also tweeted that Cyclone Bulbul is "about to pass through Bengal. Our State Administration is closely monitoring the situation 24x7. We are taking all measures to tackle any contingency. Special Control Rooms have been set up and NDRF-SDRF teams are deployed".

She also said that the schools, colleges and anganwadi centres have been closed and "more than 1 lakh 20 thousand people have already been rescued from the vulnerable coastal areas".

"Please do not panic. Kindly remain calm and co-operate with the administration in its rescue and relief efforts. Be alert, take care and stay safe," Banerjee said.

A high alert has been declared in the coastal districts of West Bengal. Moderate to heavy rainfall, with gale-force wind speeds of 70-80 km per hr gusting to 90 kmh, was reported from the coastal areas of southern West Bengal, as the Very Severe Cyclonic Storm 'Bulbul' lay centred 140 kms south-southwest of Sagar island on Saturday morning, the Met department said.