Cyclone Remal makes landfall, authorities engaged in clearing uprooted trees

As heavy rain and gusty winds continue in Kolkata following the landfall of severe cyclonic storm ‘Remal,’ the Kolkata Municipality team and Kolkata Police Disaster Management team are working tirelessly to clear uprooted trees in the Alipore area of the city.

Late-night visuals showed workers braving the rains to clear roads. Priyabrata Roy, DC South Kolkata, stated, “We are getting the information that in some places, trees have been uprooted. In those areas, the Kolkata Municipality team and Kolkata Police Disaster Management team have reached and work is underway. The uprooted trees will be cut and cleared soon so that the roads can be opened. By morning, the situation will be okay. The police’s special unified control room is monitoring the situation throughout the night, in the wake of the cyclone. The Municipality Control Room is also opened.”

The landfall process began at 8:30 pm on Sunday over the adjacent coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh between Sagar Island and Khepupara, near the southwest of Mongla in the neighboring country. ‘Remal’ flattened fragile dwellings, uprooted trees, and knocked down electric poles, with wind intensities of 110 to 120 kmph, gusting to 135 kmph. Visuals from outside the Raj Bhavan showed heavy rains and gusty winds lashing the capital city.

Discussing the landfall, Somnath Dutta, Eastern Region Head, IMD Kolkata, said, “The landfall process started at 8:30 pm…over the Bangladesh and West Bengal coast. As per the observation at 10:30 pm, it shows that the landfall process is continuing…by 12:30 am the landfall process will be complete.”

Ahead of the impending landfall, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to review the preparedness for cyclone “Remal” over the North Bay of Bengal at his residence. The Prime Minister was briefed that the National Crisis Management Committee is in regular touch with the Government of West Bengal. All fishermen have been advised not to venture into the South Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.