Indian Coast Guard closely monitors landfall of Cyclone Remal with disaster response team, ships, hovercraft on standby

As the severe cyclonic storm ‘Remal’ makes landfall between Bangladesh and the adjoining West Bengal coast, the Indian Coast Guard said on Monday that it is closely monitoring the landfall of the cyclone with a disaster response team, ships, and hovercraft on standby at short notice to respond to post-impact challenges.

The ICG further asked the people to follow official advisories, stay informed, and stay safe.

“Update cyclone #Remal@IndiaCoastGuard is closely monitoring the landfall of cyclone #Remal with the disaster response team, Ships, and Hovercraft standby at short notice to respond to post-impact challenges. Follow official advisories, Stay informed, and stay safe,” the ICG posted on X.

Following the landfall of cyclonic storm ‘Remal’, waterlogging has been witnessed in parts of Kolkata with heavy rain.

The visuals from the Race Course Area showed people and vehicles moving on the water-logged roads.

Several trees were also uprooted in Kolkata’s Alipore area as heavy rain and gusty winds lashed several parts of West Bengal.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday informed that the storm ‘Remal’ would continue to move nearly northwards for some more time and then north-northeastwards and weaken gradually into a Cyclonic Storm.

The cyclone moved northwards and crossed the Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal Coasts between Sagar Islands and Khepupara close to southwest of Mongla, said IMD.

“The Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Remal’ over the North Bay of Bengal moved nearly northwards, with a speed of 13 kmph during past 06 hours, crossed Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal Coasts between Sagar Islands and Khepupara close to southwest of Mongla near Latitude 21.75°N and Longitude 89.2°E between 22:30 hrs IST of 26th May to 00:30 hrs IST of 27th May 2024 as a Severe Cyclonic Storm with wind speed of 110 to 120 Kmph gusting to 135 Kmph,” said IMD in a post on X.

“It lay centred at 01:30 hrs IST of today, the 27th May, 2024 over Coastal Bangladesh and adjoining Coastal West Bengal, near latitude 21.9°N and longitude 89,2°E about 115 km east of Sagar Islands (West Bengal), 105 km west-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), 70 km southeast of Canning (West Bengal) and SO km south-southwest of Mongla (Bangladesh), The system would continue to move nearly northwards for some more time and then north-northeastwards and weaken gradually into a Cyclonic Storm by morning of 27,” added the post.

The Kolkata Municipality and Kolkata Police Disaster Management teams are engaged in clearing uprooted trees in the city.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a meeting to review the preparedness for the cyclone, asking the Union Home Ministry to monitor the situation and take a review after the cyclone’s landfall to extend necessary assistance for restoration.

During the meeting at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence, the Prime Minister instructed that apart from 12 National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) teams that have already been deployed in West Bengal and one in Odisha, more teams be kept on standby to move within an hour, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.