Cyclone Remal to make landfall in West Bengal, airports shut, disaster teams deployed.
The Severe Cyclonic Storm Remal over North Bay of Bengal is set to make landfall between Sagar Islands in West Bengal and Bangladesh by midnight, as per the India Meteorological Department. It warned of heavy rains and winds up to 120 kmph along the coastal areas.
Rainfall commenced today across Bengal’s northeast regions and coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Purba Medinipur. The cyclone is expected to move northwards before crossing over, intensifying further in the process.
The Kolkata Airport Authority announced the suspension of flight operations from noon on May 26 to 9 am on May 27 at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, impacting 63,000 passengers and 394 flights, including 28 international services.
Indian Railways cancelled 48 EMU services in the Sealdah division and rescheduled 5 trains on May 30 as preventive measures. The National Disaster Response Force said its teams are fully prepared with all necessary equipment to tackle storm-related disasters like tree collapses or flood rescues.
Fishermen were advised to avoid venturing near coastal regions, as high tidal waves, up to 1.5 feet, are expected. Authorities across affected regions are on high alert.
As per IMD’s current warning, the cyclone is expected to impact West Bengal, parts of Odisha, Bangladesh, and some northeastern states until at least May 28. Continuous monitoring of the cyclonic storm’s movement remains underway.
