Kolkata: Cyclone Remal which hit the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh on Sunday night killed at least two people in West Bengal and seven people In Bangladesh. The Indian state and its neighbouring country have suffered extensive damage to infrastructure and property.
The India Meteorological Department on Monday (May 27) said Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Remal’ has moved nearly northwards, with a speed of 15 kmph during the past six hours. It has weakened into a Cyclonic Storm. It was centred 150 km northeast of Sagar Islands (West Bengal), 110 km northwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), 70 km northeast of Canning (West Bengal) and 30 km west-southwest of Mongla (Bangladesh) at 5:30 am today.
The storm is initially likely to move north-northeastwards into Bangladesh, subsequently northeastward, and gradually weaken further.
Widespread devastation was visible across coastal areas of West Bengal on Monday, a day after ‘Remal’ made landfall packing winds up to 135 kilometres per hour.
The cyclone ravaged adjacent coasts of the state and Bangladesh between Sagar Island and Khepupara, near the southwest of Mongla in the neighbouring country, after its landfall process began at 8.30 pm on Sunday (May 26), causing extensive damage to infrastructure and property.
‘Remal’ left a trail of destruction in its wake. Roofs of thatched huts were blown away, trees uprooted and electric poles knocked down, causing significant disruption in various parts of the state, including Kolkata.
In the Gosaba area of the Sundarbans, one person was injured after being hit by debris. In Kolkata’s Bibir Bagan area, a person was hurt when a wall collapsed due to the relentless downpour.
The West Bengal government evacuated over 1 lakh people from vulnerable areas ahead of the cyclone’s landfall. This effort was focused primarily in the South 24 Parganas district, including Sagar Island, Sundarbans and Kakdwip.
