Cyclone Remal has significantly weakened after causing extensive damage across West Bengal, resulting in one fatality in Kolkata due to a wall collapse. The cyclone made landfall between the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh on Sunday night, bringing severe weather and destruction to the region. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported on Monday that Remal has downgraded to a “cyclonic storm” and is expected to weaken further throughout the day.
In addition to the casualty in Kolkata, another individual sustained injuries from debris in the Gosaba area of the Sundarbans. Flight operations at Kolkata airport, which were suspended from Sunday noon, resumed on Monday morning at 9 am as a precautionary measure. Authorities have evacuated over 100,000 people from vulnerable areas in West Bengal.
The cyclone made landfall at approximately 8:30 pm on Sunday between Sagar Island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh, with wind speeds reaching up to 135 km/h.
According to the latest IMD bulletin, Cyclone Remal is “likely to move north-northeastwards and gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm during the next three hours.” It is expected to continue moving northeastward and weaken further.
Teams from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Kolkata Police Disaster Management Department are working to clear uprooted trees in Alipore. South Kolkata Deputy Commissioner Priyabrate Roy stated that efforts are underway to clear roads and restore normalcy by Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a review meeting on Sunday evening to assess the response and preparedness for Cyclone Remal. He was informed that the National Crisis Management Committee is in regular contact with the West Bengal state government.
A red alert has been issued for extremely heavy rain in seven districts of Assam, with an orange alert in 11 districts. Cyclone Remal is predicted to move towards the northeast on Monday, bringing extensive rain to Assam and other northeastern states on Monday and Tuesday. Squally winds of 40-50 km/h, gusting to 60 km/h, are expected over South Assam and Meghalaya.
The Indian Coast Guard announced on Monday morning that it is closely monitoring the landfall of Cyclone Remal, with disaster response teams, ships, and hovercraft on standby to respond to post-impact challenges.
In West Bengal’s North and South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts, the cyclone caused significant damage, blowing away roofs of thatched houses, twisting electric poles, and uprooting trees. Streets and homes in low-lying areas near Kolkata were inundated. The state government evacuated approximately 110,000 people from coastal and vulnerable areas to cyclone shelters, schools, and colleges by Sunday afternoon, focusing on South 24 Parganas, particularly Sagar Island, Sundarbans, and Kakdwip.
In Bangladesh, more than 800,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas along the southwestern coast. A man was reportedly swept away by tidal surges in Patuakhali, with several others injured. The coastal districts under cyclone threat include Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Jhalakathi, Barguna, Barisal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Feni, Comilla, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, and Chandpur.
