New Delhi: Severe cyclonic storm Remal started the process of landfall late Sunday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
In an alert issued late Sunday night, the Met department said that around 11pm, the forward sector of wall cloud region was entering into land and the landfall process was continuing over coastal areas of Bangladesh and West Bengal. “It will continue for next three hours,” the bulletin read.
The IMD added, “The severe cyclonic storm Remal, over the north Bay of Bengal moved nearly northwards, with a speed of 14 kmph during past seven hours and lay centred at 9.30pm on Sunday about 115 km east-southeast of Sagar Islands (West Bengal), 120 km west-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), 100 km south-southeast of Canning (West Bengal) and 120 km south-southwest of Mongla (Bangladesh). The centre is about 20 km from the coastline.”
Ahead of the cyclone making landfall, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday reviewed the preparedness of rescue and rehabilitation on the Indian coast. “Reviewed the preparedness in the wake of Cyclone Remal. Took stock of the disaster management infrastructure and other related aspects. I pray for everyone’s safety and well being,” he wrote on X.
The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rains in parts of West Bengal and Odisha on 26 and 27 May, adding that rainfall activity is also likely in parts of northeast India on 27 and 28 May.
Flight operations at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport were also suspended for 21 hours starting Sunday noon.
“In view of cyclone Remal’s impact on the coastal region of West Bengal, including Kolkata, a meeting was held with the stakeholders and it has been decided to suspend flight operations from 1200 IST on May 26 to 0900 IST on May 27 due to predicted heavy winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall in Kolkata,” the airport authority said in a statement Saturday.
The Kolkata port had also announced the suspension of all cargo and container handling for 12 hours starting Sunday evening — 6pm Sunday to 6am Monday.
Further, fishermen had been advised to return to the coast and not venture into the sea till 27 May, while the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) deployed around 17 teams in the area, earmarking buildings in three districts where shelters were set up. Control rooms and emergency services have also been put on standby.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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