Bengal, Bangladesh brace for Cyclone Remal, Kolkata airport to suspend flights

Kolkata airport will suspend flight operations for nine hours from midnight Sunday (May 26) as West Bengal and neighbouring Bangladesh brace for Cyclone Remal’s landfall.

The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm, which has been named Remal. It is likely to make landfall between the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh with a speed of 110-120 kmph on Sunday night, the IMD said.

A storm surge of up to 1.5 metres is expected to inundate low-lying areas of coastal West Bengal and Bangladesh at the time of landfall.

This is the first cyclone over the Bay of Bengal this season and has been named Remal (meaning sand in Arabic), according to a system of naming cyclones in the Indian Ocean region.

IMD’s message

The weather system, moving at a speed of 12 kmph over east-central Bay of Bengal, was 350 km south-southeast of Sagar Island in West Bengal at 5.30 pm on Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Moving in a northward direction, it is likely to concentrate further into a severe cyclonic storm by Sunday morning and cross West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupara with a wind speed of 110 to 120 kmph, gusting to 135 kmph, by midnight of Sunday.

The IMD warned of extremely heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of West Bengal and heavy to very heavy rainfall in north Odisha on May 26 and 27 owing to the weather system.

Extremely heavy precipitation is also likely in Assam and Meghalaya, and heavy to very heavy rains in the other northeastern states such as Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura on May 27 and 28.

Kolkata airport measure

The precautionary measure to suspend flights was taken after a meeting of the stakeholders of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata on Saturday.

“In view of cyclone Remal’s impact on the coastal region of West Bengal, including Kolkata, a meeting was held with the stakeholders and it has been decided to suspend flight operations from 1200 IST on May 26 to 0900 IST on May 27 due to predicted heavy winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall in Kolkata,” NSCBI airport director C Pattabhi said in a statement.

Fishermen warned

The IMD has issued a cyclone warning along the shore of the Bay of Bengal and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea in the north Bay of Bengal till May 27 morning.

Furthermore, a red alert has been issued for West Bengal’s coastal districts of South and North 24-Parganas, where extremely heavy rain is likely in some places on May 26 and 27.

IMD also issued an orange alert for Kolkata, Howrah, Nadia, and Purba Medinipur districts for May 26 and 27, warning of 80 to 90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph wind speed and heavy to very heavy rain at one or two places.

Odisha prepares

In north Odisha, the coastal districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, and Kendrapara will receive heavy rain on May 26-27, while heavy showers are likely in Mayurbhanj on May 27.

Those living close to the shore have been advised to make preparations and stay indoors till May 27. IMD also warned of localised floods, and damage to power lines, crops and orchards on May 26 and 27.

Bangladesh readies for impact

Bangladesh has readied nearly 4,000 shelters equipped with adequate dry food supplies and water as it prepares for Cyclone Remal which may make landfall in the coastal districts of Satkhira and Cox’s Bazar with a potentially high tidal surge and heavy rainfall, media reports said on Saturday.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) is expected to issue a “great danger” signal number 10 between 12 midnight and 1 am Sunday.

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the state-owned news agency, quoted a special bulletin that said maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal number three in the wake of the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal.

Shelters in place

State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibur Rahman told a press conference in Dhaka that nearly 4,000 shelter centres have been readied in the coastal districts, equipped with adequate dry food supplies.

“We have 80,000 volunteers ready to tackle the situation and all necessary preparations have been made,” Rahman was quoted as saying by The Daily Star newspaper.

The state minister also warned that parts of Satkhira and Cox’s Bazar could be significantly impacted by Remal, with a potential 7-10 feet high tidal surge, heavy rainfall, and landslides in the hilly areas of Chattogram, the news portal said.

(With agency inputs)