Tropical cyclone ‘Remal’ has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and is poised to make landfall along the coasts of Bangladesh and West Bengal by midnight on Sunday. The Meteorological Department forecasts winds ranging from 110 to 120 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 135 kmph.
Anticipated consequences include extensive rainfall in the coastal regions of West Bengal and significant rainfall in Kolkata and surrounding areas. The cyclone, currently moving northward, is expected to strengthen further before crossing the coasts between Sagar Island (West Bengal) and Khepupara (Bangladesh), near the southwest of Mongla port, around midnight on Sunday.
In anticipation of the approaching cyclone, the Eastern and South Eastern Railways have pre-emptively cancelled numerous train services in the coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas, as well as Purba Medinipur district. Kolkata Airport authorities have decided to suspend flight operations for a period of 21 hours starting from noon on Sunday due to the expected impact of cyclone Remal, affecting 394 flights, both domestic and international.
Precautionary measures, such as lowering high mast lights, securing equipment, and mooring smaller aircraft, are being implemented. The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata will also suspend cargo and container handling operations for 12 hours from Sunday evening in response to the cyclone forecast.
As of 8:30 am on Sunday, the cyclone was positioned in the northern Bay of Bengal, 240 km south-southeast of Sagar Islands, with sustained winds ranging from 90 to 100 kmph, and gusts up to 110 kmph. The Meteorological Department has issued warnings of extreme rainfall in the coastal districts of West Bengal and significant rainfall in northern Odisha on May 26-27.
Furthermore, Assam and Meghalaya are also expected to experience extreme rainfall, with heavy to very heavy rainfall predicted for Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura on May 27-28.
A storm surge of up to one meter above the astronomical tide is expected to flood low-lying areas of coastal West Bengal and Bangladesh during landfall. Fishermen have been advised to refrain from venturing into the northern Bay of Bengal until the morning of May 27.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is predicted for North and South 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly districts, with extremely heavy rainfall expected in North and South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur districts, prompting a red alert for these areas.
Nadia and Murshidabad districts are also expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall on May 27-28. Winds ranging from 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph, are expected in North and South 24 Parganas, while Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, and Purba Medinipur districts could experience winds of 70-80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph.
Nadia and Purba Bardhaman districts may experience winds of 60-70 kmph, gusting to 80 kmph, and other parts of south Bengal could see winds of 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph. As a precautionary measure, the Eastern Railway has suspended train services in the Sealdah South and Barasat-Hasnabad sections from 11 pm on Sunday to 6 am on Monday, resulting in the cancellation of several local trains.
The South Eastern Railway has also cancelled the Kandari Express on Sunday and some services to and from Digha on Sunday and Monday. In northern Odisha, Balasore, Bhadrak, and Kendrapara districts are expected to receive heavy rainfall on May 26-27, with Mayurbhanj expecting heavy rainfall on May 27.
North Bengal districts, including Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri, are likely to experience extreme rainfall on May 28-29, with Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Uttar, and Dakshin Dinajpur districts also expecting heavy rainfall.
The IMD has warned of localized flooding and significant damage to vulnerable structures, power and communication lines, roads, crops, and orchards in South and North 24 Parganas districts. Residents in affected areas have been advised to stay indoors and evacuate vulnerable structures.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has taken pre-emptive measures to prevent loss of life or property at sea, with remote operating stations at Haldia and Paradip alerting fishing vessels and merchant ships. The ICG has also prepared ships and aircraft for search and rescue missions, with disaster relief teams on standby at Haldia, Fraserganj, Paradip, and Gopalpur.
A control room has been established at the Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar to coordinate state agency efforts. The districts anticipated to be impacted by the cyclonic storm will also receive assistance from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams. Equipped teams from the NDRF have been dispatched to various districts such as Kolkata, North 24-Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, South 24-Parganas, Howrah, and Hooghly.
