After making landfall near Mongla in Bangladesh, located between the country’s Khepupara and India’s Sagar Islands in West Bengal, cyclone Remal caused significant destruction along its path in East Midnapore and North and South 24 Parganas districts.
More than one lakh people were evacuated from low-lying coastal and vulnerable areas by the West Bengal government due to the severe cyclonic storm, which has by now weakened into a cyclonic storm. It touched the coastline between 10.30pm on Sunday and 12.30am on Monday, informed India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The ravaging signs of Remal are clear in Sagar islands where trees lie uprooted and houses sans roofs. Fallen trees and electric poles have blocked roads in the region. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is actively engaged in restoring normalcy in the affected areas.
Sundarban regions have also suffered the wrath of Remal. Persistent heavy rains continue to lash the Sundarbans with many houses left without roofs. Since Sunday morning, electricity has been disrupted in the Kultali CD block in South 24 Parganas district. Overnight, strong winds uprooted electric poles at multiple locations due to the storm. Electricity is yet to be restored in the region.
Across Sagar islands and Sundarbans, the fears about the collapse of river banks came true. In places such as Gangasagar, Bakkhali, Mousuni, Frezarganj and Gosaba, banks collapsed and saline waters inundated nearby areas. As a consequence, local residents, primarily farmers, are apprehensive about agricultural losses in the future.
Meanwhile, Kolkata and adjoining areas did not suffer any major impact of Remal. However, overnight rains flooded some parts of the city, including in Park Circus, Dhakuria and Ballygunj. Electricity cables were damaged in multiple locations, and uprooted electric poles caused power shortages in various areas.
According to the IMD’s Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata’s Alipore, the calamity may continue in the city and neighbouring districts until Monday afternoon. Owing to the cyclone, train operations are yet to be restored normally in Sealdah’s south division which connects South 24 Parganas with Kolkata. Initially, it was informed that the operations will remain closed till 6am on Monday.
Metro services were also not started normally. Due to flooding of the tracks in Park Street and Esplanade stations, operations were resumed from Dakshineshwar to Girish Park and from Kavi Subhash to Mahanayak Uttam Kumar metro stations. Earlier, a part of the roof at the Kazi Nazrul station had collapsed. One person has reportedly died in the city’s Entally area after the roof of his house collapsed.
Apart from Kolkata, other districts such as Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Burdwan, West Burdwan, and Birbhum are also expected to encounter heavy rainfall on Monday. Wind gusts in these districts may reach speeds of up to 60km per hour.
