A massive wave of panic has swept across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube following viral posts claiming that a cyclone named ‘Shampa’ is set to strike between March 20 and 23. These posts, featuring terrifying visuals of storms and fake red alerts, have left citizens deeply concerned about a potential disaster.

However, weather experts and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) have officially debunked these claims as entirely baseless. Officials clarified that there is no forecast for any such cyclone, and the name ‘Shampa’ does not even exist in the international list of designated tropical cyclone names. Historical storms like Amphan and Fani followed a strict naming protocol, and ‘Shampa’ is nowhere on that official roster.

The recent squalls and temperature drops observed in Kolkata and surrounding regions are typical pre-monsoon phenomena known as ‘Kal Baisakhi’ or Nor’westers. Experts further explained that the viral “1,000 km wide rain-band” mentioned in posts is actually a standard ‘Western Disturbance,’ a routine meteorological process for this time of year. Residents are advised to ignore unverified social media rumors and rely solely on official updates from the weather office.