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Coastal areas of West Bengal were devastated on Monday after Cyclone 'Remal' made landfall, bringing winds up to 135 kilometres per hour.

 

The storm struck between Sagar Island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh, near southwest Mongla, beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday. The cyclone caused extensive damage to infrastructure and property.

 

Roofs of thatched huts were blown away, trees were uprooted, and electric poles were knocked down, significantly disrupting various parts of the state, including Kolkata.

 

 Waterlogging was reported in several areas, adding to the misery of affected residents.

 

The storm brought heavy rains, continuing into Monday morning, flooding homes and farmlands. In the Sundarbans' Gosaba area, one person was injured by debris.

 

In Kolkata's Bibir Bagan area, a person was hurt when a wall collapsed due to a relentless downpour.

 

Ahead of the cyclone, the West Bengal government evacuated over 100,000 people from vulnerable areas, focusing on South 24 Parganas district, including Sagar Island, Sundarbans, and Kakdwip. While lives were saved, property damage remains extensive.

 

The North and South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts reported widespread damage. In the coastal resort town of Digha, tidal waves crashed into a seawall, with surging waters sweeping fishing boats inland and inundating mud-and-thatch houses and farmlands.

 

Cyclone-induced rainfall and winds intensified on Monday in areas such as Digha, Kakdwip, and Jaynagar.

 

Efforts to restore normalcy are underway, with emergency services working tirelessly to clear debris and restore power in affected areas, though continuous heavy rains are hampering operations.

 

Initial reports suggest that recovery from the disaster will take considerable time and effort. The state government has initiated relief measures, providing food, drinking water, and medical assistance to the affected population. Authorities urge residents to remain indoors and take necessary precautions as heavy rains persist.

 

Districts in southern West Bengal recorded light to moderate rainfall in the 24 hours until 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas received 68.4 mm of rain, and Kanthi in Purba Medinipur district recorded 58 mm.

 

Fourteen National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were deployed across southern Bengal districts, including Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Howrah, and Hooghly.

 

 The state government has also prepared State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, and relief materials and quick response teams are in place.

 

Relief materials, including dry food and tarpaulins, have been dispatched to coastal areas, and quick response teams, comprising trained civil defence volunteers, are equipped with vehicles.

 

The cyclone caused significant disruptions in air, rail, and road transportation in Kolkata and other parts of southern Bengal.

 

The Eastern and South Eastern Railways cancelled some trains for Sunday and Monday. Kolkata airport suspended flight operations for 21 hours from Sunday noon, affecting 394 flights in both the international and domestic sectors.