4 Dead As Cyclone Remal Hits Bengal, Causes Havoc
Kolkata, May 27: Cyclone Remal claimed at least 4 lives leaving a trail of destruction in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Remal was the first cyclone to hit the Bay of Bengal this year in advance of the monsoon. It caused havoc through the state and neighbouring Bangladesh with winds speeds of 135 km per hour. Cyclone Remal started its landfall at about 8.30 pm on Sunday, affecting Sagar Island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh, near the south-west of Mongla. The process of landfall continued for about five hours. Cyclone Remal ravaged Kolkata and several parts of West Bengal. It left behind a trail of destruction by uprooting trees, destroying thousands of homes and swamping low-lying areas of the state.
Electricity poles were knocked down by the storm causing significant power disruption in various parts of the state. The storm and heavy rain flooded homes and farmlands. In some regions, salt water from the Bay of Bengal breached embankments. Salt water gushed into farmlands and damaged crops. Flight services at the Kolkata airport suspended for 21 hours in view of Cyclone Remal. Metro services were also disrupted. Suburban train services from the Sealdah Station partially suspended for a few hours.
The West Bengal government has started relief operations, providing food, drinking water and medical assistance to the affected people.The state government relocated around 110,000 people from coastal areas. Fishermen had been advised to stay outside the Bay of Bengal until Monday, May 27. 14 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were deployed for relief and rescue operations across districts in south Bengal.
PM Modi was updated on the cyclone situation regularly. The National Crisis Management Committee maintained regular contact with the West Bengal government. The Indian Coast Guard was also prepared for emergencies. PM Modi instructed Ports, Railways, and Highways to remain on high alert to prevent incidents.
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