Cyclone ‘Remal’ hit coastal areas of Bangladesh’s Mongla port and nearby Sagar Islands in West Bengal, bringing winds of up to 135 kmph. The severe cyclonic storm made landfall between West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts, causing widespread destruction with heavy rains and flooding.
According to officials from Bangladesh’s disaster ministry, two people were killed in the country after the cyclone hit, while no casualties have been reported in West Bengal.
Authorities in Bengal and northeastern states were on high alert before the storm hit. Precautionary measures were taken by district administrations in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram to minimize its impact.
Cyclone Remal disrupted transportation in Kolkata and southern Bengal, leading to the cancellation of trains and flights. Flight operations at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport were suspended for 21 hours, affecting 394 flights. The airport resumed operations at 9 am today. Operations at the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata were also halted.
In Kolkata, heavy rain caused a wall to collapse, injuring one person. Reports from various districts indicated extensive damage to infrastructure such as thatched roofs, electric poles, and trees. Flooding was severe in low-lying areas near Kolkata.
Warnings of extremely heavy rainfall were issued across Assam and other northeastern states on May 27 and 28. Alerts were issued for various districts anticipating severe weather conditions.
The Meghalaya government advised residents to prepare emergency kits and stay updated with weather reports. Tripura closed all educational institutions and suspended flight operations on the Kolkata-Agartala route until Monday morning.
Cyclone Remal damaged homes, uprooted trees, and toppled electric poles. One person was injured in the Sundarbans’ Gosaba area. Over one lakh people were evacuated from vulnerable areas in West Bengal before the cyclone struck, with a focus on South 24 Parganas, Sagar Island, Sundarbans, and Kakdwip.
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