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Cyclone Remal has intensified and severe cyclonic storm Remal has started hitting the coastal areas of West Bengal and Bangladesh. The department said that when Remal reaches the coast, the winds will blow at a speed of 110 to 120 kilometers per hour and their speed will be up to 135 kilometers per hour.
Due to the cyclone, heavy rains are expected in the coastal districts of West Bengal and heavy to very heavy rains in Kolkata and surrounding areas. 14 NDRF teams have been deployed in Bengal for relief and rescue.
train wheels tied with chains
In Howrah, Bengal, as a precautionary measure, trains have been tied to the railway tracks with chains and locks at the Shalimar railway station in view of the threat of Ramal so that the trains can be saved from slipping due to strong winds.
The weather department said Ramal was moving northwards and was likely to intensify further before crossing the coasts between Sagar Island (West Bengal) and Khepupara (Bangladesh), south-west of Mongla port by Sunday midnight.
Prime Minister Modi called a meeting
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi on Sunday convened a meeting to review the preparations made to deal with Remal. The Prime Minister was told that the NDRF is in constant touch with the West Bengal government. All fishermen have been advised not to venture into the South Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. About one lakh people are being evacuated to safer places. The IMD is also providing information to Bangladesh with regular updates.
Somnath Dutta, head of the eastern region of the Meteorological Department in Kolkata, said that from Sunday evening, winds will blow at a speed of 45 to 55 kilometers per hour in many districts of South Bengal, which will affect Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly and East Medinipur.
Less devastation than Amphan
Dutta said, 'Remal will cause damage, but it is likely to cause less devastation than the cyclone 'Amphan' that hit in 2020.' In view of the cyclone, Eastern and South Eastern Railways have taken precautionary measures and canceled many train services in the coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas and East Medinipur district.
Kolkata airport authorities have decided to cancel flight operations for 21 hours from Sunday afternoon due to the possible impact of Cyclone Ramal.
394 flights will not fly
A total of 394 flights, including both international and domestic, will not operate from the airport during the flight suspension period, an Airports Authority of India (AAI) spokesperson said. Officials of the Kolkata-headquartered North East region of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said they have taken all precautionary measures to ensure that there is no loss of life or property at sea.
Cargo and container handling operations at Kolkata's Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port will also remain suspended for 12 hours from Sunday evening due to the forecast of the cyclone.
Winds blew at a speed of 90-110 kilometers
The cyclone was located 240 km south-southeast of Sagar Island in the North Bay of Bengal at 11:30 am on Sunday and had winds of 90-100 kmph and gusts up to 110 kmph. This is the first cyclone to hit the Bay of Bengal in the pre-monsoon season.
The Meteorological Department has issued a warning of very heavy rains in the coastal districts of West Bengal and North Odisha on May 26-27. Very heavy rains are also expected in Assam and Meghalaya. Heavy to very heavy rains are expected in Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura on May 27-28.
Water may fill in low lying areas
When the cyclone reaches the coastal areas of West Bengal and Bangladesh, there is a possibility of flooding in low-lying areas due to storm waves of up to 1.5 meters. The Meteorological Department has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea in the northern part of the Bay of Bengal till Monday morning.
Heavy to very heavy rains have been predicted in North and South 24 Parganas, East Medinipur, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly districts. Red alert has been issued for these areas due to the possibility of very heavy rains in North and South 24 Parganas and East Medinipur districts. Heavy to very heavy rains may also occur in Nadia and Murshidabad districts on 27-28 May.
many trains were cancelled
The Eastern Railway has suspended train services on the Sealdah South and Barasat-Hasnabad sections from 11 pm on Sunday to 6 am on Monday as a precautionary measure, resulting in cancellation of several local trains.
South Eastern Railway has also cancelled the Kandari Express on Sunday and some trains going to and coming from Digha on Sunday and Monday.
Heavy rain is also expected in Odisha
Heavy rains are expected in Balasore, Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts in northern Odisha on 26-27 May and in Mayurbhanj on 27 May. Very heavy rains are expected in North Bengal districts Cooch Behar, Alipurdurwar and Jalpaiguri on 28-29 May. Apart from this, heavy rains are also expected in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, North and South Dinajpur districts.
The IMD has warned of flooding and heavy damage to weak structures, power and communication lines, unpaved roads, crops and orchards in the South and North 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal. People in the affected areas have been advised to stay indoors.
ICG took these steps to avoid losses
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has taken precautionary measures to prevent loss of life and property at sea and fishing vessels and commercial vessels at Haldia and Paradip have been alerted.
The ICG has kept ships and aircraft on standby besides disaster relief teams for search and rescue operations at Haldia, Fraserganj, Paradip and Gopalpur.
The state agency has set up a control centre at the Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar for coordination. “Ten teams of Kolkata Police have been deployed in 10 police divisions of the city,” a senior police officer said. NDRF teams are also moving to districts that are likely to be affected by the cyclone.
Such preparations are being made in many districts of Bengal
The NDRF has deployed its teams and equipment in several districts including Kolkata, North 24-Parganas, East Medinipur, West Medinipur, South 24-Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly.
The cyclone is also likely to impact the mangrove forest of the Sundarbans. The Sundarbans is one of the largest forests in the world and is known for its diverse fauna including 260 species of birds, the Bengal tiger and other endangered species such as the estuarine (saltwater) crocodile and the Indian python.
Spread over 9,630 sq km on the border of West Bengal and Bangladesh, the Sundarbans is one of the areas most affected by sea level rise, salinity and land erosion due to climate change.
Scientists say warmer sea surface temperatures are causing cyclones to intensify faster and last longer.
According to DS Pai, senior scientist at IMD, warming of the sea surface means more moisture, which is conducive for the intensification of cyclones.
