Cyclone Remal: IMD issues heavy rainfall warning for parts of West Bengal and adjoining areas

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday evening issued a warning of heavy rainfall in parts of West Bengal ahead of the landfall of Cyclone Remal. The weather department said, Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places is likely over coastal districts of West Bengal and eastern districts of Gangetic West Bengal adjacent to Bangladesh on 26th and 27th with isolated extremely heavy rainfall over these districts on 26th May. The peak rainfall activity is likely till noon of 27th May. It said, Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places likely over eastern districts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal on 27th and 28th May. According to the IMD, the severe cyclonic storm Remal over the North Bay of Bengal moved nearly northwards, with a speed of 11 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centered at 2030 hrs IST of today, the 26th May, 2024 over the same region about 110 km east-southeast of Sagar Islands (West Bengal), 125 km west-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), 110 km south-southeast of Canning (West Bengal) and 130 km south-southwest of Mongla (Bangladesh). The center is about 30 km from the coastline of Bangladesh. It said, it is very likely to continue to move nearly northwards and cross Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupara, close to southwest of Mongla (Bangladesh) by midnight of today, the 26th may 2024 as a severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed of 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph. Forward sector of wall cloud region is entering into land. The landfall process has commenced over coastal areas of Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal. The IMD also issued a warning for Odisha and said that light to moderate rainfall at most places with isolated heavy rainfall likely over North Coastal Odisha on 26th May. For the Northeastern states, the IMD said, Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over Mizoram, Tripura and South Manipur on 26th and over Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura on 27th and 28th May. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is also likely over Assam, Meghalaya on 27th and 28th May, Arunachal Pradesh on 28th May and Mizoram and Tripura on 27th May. Wind Warning: Bay of Bengal The IMD said that gale wind speed reaching 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph prevailing over North Bay of Bengal till midnight of 26th May. It is likely decrease becoming 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph by morning on 27th May and squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph by evening of 27th May. It said that gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph is prevailing over adjoining central Bay of Bengal and likely to decrease gradually becoming Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph till morning of 27th May. Along and off Bangladesh and West Bengal coasts The IMD said, Gale wind speed reaching 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph is prevailing along & off Bangladesh and West Bengal & adjoining North Odisha coasts. It is likely to increase becoming 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph along and off Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts till early morning of 27th May. It is likely decrease thereafter gradually to become 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph by afternoon and squally wind 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph by night of 27th May. It said, Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph is prevailing over Howrah, Hoogly, Kolkata and East Medinipur districts. It will increase gradually becoming Gale wind speed reaching 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph over these districts during night of 26th May except East Medinipur where the wind speed may reach up to 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph during the same period. The IMD has also said that cyclone Remal is likely to cause damages. Damages expected over South and North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hoogly, Kolkata and adjoining East Medinipur districts of west Bengal - Major damage to thatched houses/ huts. Possibilities of damage to vulnerable structure. - Unattached metal sheets may fly. - Breaking of tree branches, uprooting of trees. Major damage to banana and papaya trees. Dead limbs may blow off from trees. - Damage to power and communication lines due to breaking of branches and uprooting of trees. - Damage to Kutcha and minor damage to Pucca roads due to heavy rain. - Damage to paddy crops, horticultural crops and orchards. - Inundation of low-lying areas and localized flooding - Occasional reduction in visibility due to heavy rainfall. - Disruption of traffic due to water logging and squally winds