(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Severe cyclonic storm Remal on Sunday night made landfall between the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh, unleashing winds up to 135 kmph. The storm, which struck between Sagar Island in West Bengal and Khepupara near the southwest of Mongla in Bangladesh at 8:30 pm, brought torrential rains, flooding homes and farmlands, and leaving widespread destruction in its wake.
In Bangladesh, the cyclonic storm claimed two lives since making landfall, according to an official from the country's disaster ministry. West Bengal has reported no casualties so far.
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Meanwhile, disaster management authorities and security forces across Bengal and the northeastern states were placed on high alert. District administrations in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram were instructed to implement precautionary measures to mitigate the impact.
Cyclone Remal caused significant disruptions to air, rail, and road transportation in Kolkata and southern Bengal. Several trains were cancelled by the Eastern and South Eastern Railways, while Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata suspended flight operations for 21 hours, affecting 394 flights.
Operations at the airport resumed at 9 am today. The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata also halted operations during the storm.
In Kolkata's Bibir Bagan area, a wall collapsed due to heavy rain, injuring one person. Reports from North and South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts indicated extensive damage to thatched roofs, electric poles, and trees. Low-lying areas near Kolkata experienced severe flooding.
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The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) issued warnings of extremely heavy rainfall across Assam and other northeastern states on May 27 and 28. Orange and Red alerts were issued for various districts, anticipating severe weather conditions. Squally winds of 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, were expected over south Assam and Meghalaya.
Cyclone Remal damaged dwellings, uprooted trees, and toppled electric poles. In the Sundarbans' Gosaba area, one person was injured by debris. Over 100,000 people were evacuated from vulnerable areas in West Bengal before the cyclone struck.
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