Cyclone ‘Remal’ Landfall By Midnight: Everything You Need To Know

The severe cyclonic storm “Remal” is expected to hit the coasts of Bangladesh and West Bengal near Sagar Island and Khepupara by midnight today, May 26, 2024. The cyclone will bring maximum sustained winds of 110-120 km/h, with gusts up to 135 km/h.

Cyclone Remal Path and Current Status

Formation and Movement: The deep depression over the Eastcentral Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclone “Remal” on the evening of May 25 and further into a severe cyclonic storm by the early hours of May 26. The cyclone is moving northwards at a speed of 7 km/h.

Location: As of 8:30 AM IST today, the cyclone was centered about 260 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), 310 km south of Mongla (Bangladesh), 240 km south-southeast of Sagar Islands (West Bengal), and 280 km south-southeast of Canning (West Bengal).

Wind Speed: Currently, the cyclone has maximum sustained winds of 90-100 km/h, gusting up to 110 km/h.

Cyclone ‘Remal’: Rainfall Warnings

West Bengal: Expect light to moderate rain with heavy to very heavy rain in coastal and eastern districts. Isolated areas could see extremely heavy rain (over 20 cm) on May 26. Peak rainfall is expected from noon on May 26 to noon on May 27.

Odisha: Light to moderate rain with isolated heavy showers in North Coastal Odisha on May 26.

Northeastern States: Light to moderate rain with heavy to very heavy showers in Mizoram, Tripura, and South Manipur on May 26. Similar conditions will affect Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, and Tripura on May 27-28, with extremely heavy rain in Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram.

Cyclone ‘Remal’: Wind Warnings

Bay of Bengal: Winds will reach 100-120 km/h, gusting to 135 km/h, from noon to midnight on May 26. Winds will gradually decrease after that.

Coastal Areas: Bangladesh and West Bengal coasts will experience winds of 100-120 km/h, gusting to 135 km/h, from evening of May 26 to early morning of May 27. Winds will decrease to 60-70 km/h by the afternoon of May 27.

West Bengal Inland: Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata, and East Medinipur districts will see winds of 70-80 km/h, gusting to 90 km/h, from the evening of May 26.

Cyclone ‘Remal’: Storm Surge Warning

West Bengal: Coastal areas might see a storm surge of about 1 meter above the usual tide levels.

Bangladesh: Coastal areas might experience a storm surge of 3-4 meters above the usual tide levels during landfall.

Cyclone ‘Remal’: Expected Damage

Areas Affected: South & North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata, and East Medinipur districts in West Bengal.

Impact:

– Major damage to thatched houses and huts.

– Potential damage to vulnerable structures.

– Uprooting of trees and breaking of branches.

– Damage to banana and papaya trees, power lines, and communication lines.

– Flooding of low-lying areas and waterlogging.

– Disruption of traffic due to heavy rain and squally winds.

Cyclone ‘Remal’: Safety Measures

Fishing Operations: All fishing operations should be suspended.

Transport and Shipping: Regulate surface and shipping operations.

Evacuations: Coastal residents should move to safer places.

Stay Indoors: People in affected areas should stay indoors and avoid traveling to areas prone to waterlogging.

Avoid Vulnerable Structures: Refrain from staying in structures that may not withstand strong winds.