Cyclone Remal Alert, Set To Hit West Bengal By Midight, May 26

As the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning about the impending cyclonic storm ‘Remal,’ IMD scientist Somenath Dutta stated that the storm is expected to escalate into a severe cyclonic storm. It is projected to make landfall between the coasts of Bangladesh and West Bengal around midnight on May 26.

In an interview with ANI, Dutta mentioned, “The storm is likely to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm and cross between Bangladesh and the adjoining West Bengal coasts around midnight on May 26, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 110 to 120 kilometers per hour, gusting up to 135 kilometers per hour.”

He further explained, “Over the last six hours, cyclone ‘Remal’ has been moving towards the North Bay at a speed of 13 km/hr. It is currently southwest of Khepupara, Bangladesh, with wind speeds of 95-105 km/hr. The storm will continue moving north and is expected to cross between Sagar Island and Khepupara around midnight, with maximum wind speeds reaching 110-120 km/hr, gusting to 135 km/hr.”

Dutta also noted, “An alert has been issued for the coastal areas of West Bengal. This evening, squally winds are expected to reach speeds of 65 kmph in Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata, and East Medinipur. Wind speeds are likely to increase tonight, reaching 70 to 80 kmph, gusting up to 90 kmph, and will start to decrease from the evening of May 27.”

He added, “North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas are expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall, while Hooghly, Howrah, Kolkata, and East Medinipur will receive extremely heavy rainfall.”

The anticipated landfall of cyclone Remal has caused major disruptions in air, rail, and road transportation in Kolkata and other parts of South Bengal on Sunday. As a precautionary measure, Kolkata airport authorities have suspended flight operations for 21 hours starting from noon on Sunday.

The low-pressure area, first detected on May 22 in the Bay of Bengal, has intensified into a more severe system, now located in the North Bay of Bengal. The primary regions affected include West Bengal, coastal Bangladesh, Tripura, and other parts of the northeastern states. Residents in these areas, as well as those in the neighboring state of Tripura, are advised to prepare for severe weather conditions starting from May 26.