The landfall process of Cyclone Remal, positioned around 30 km from the coastline at 8:30 pm, will persist for approximately four hours, according to the Meteorological Department. The Met department stated, “The landfall process of severe cyclonic storm ‘Remal’ commenced over the adjacent coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh between Sagar Island and Khepupara close to the southwest of Mongla in the neighbouring country.”
Gale wind speeds ranging from 110 to 120 kmph, with gusts up to 135 kmph, were observed along and off the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh and the north Bay of Bengal. This condition is expected to endure for the next six hours before diminishing. The state government evacuated approximately 110,000 individuals from coastal areas, including Sundarbans and Sagar Island, to cyclone shelters by Sunday evening, as reported by police officials from South and North 24 Parganas districts. State disaster management teams and NDRF personnel were stationed along the coastal belt for rescue and relief efforts.
A centralized control unit was established at Nabanna, the state secretariat, to oversee the situation. The Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata ceased operations from Sunday noon until 9 am on Monday, with all 394 domestic and international flights cancelled, according to Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials.
C Pattabhi, NSCBI airport director, stated, “In view of Cyclone Remal’s impact on the coastal region of West Bengal, including Kolkata, a meeting was held with stakeholders, and it was decided to suspend flight operations from noon on May 26 to 9 am on May 27 due to predicted heavy winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall in Kolkata.”
Numerous local trains in the Sealdah and Howrah divisions were cancelled, with train services suspended in the Sealdah South section and Barasat-Hasnabad section of the Sealdah division from 11 pm on Sunday to 6 am on Monday, affecting several EMU local trains, an official stated.
By Sunday evening, the impending landfall of Cyclone Remal disrupted rail and road traffic in Kolkata and other parts of south Bengal, leaving highways deserted, as reported by district police officials. The Kolkata Police announced two helpline numbers – 9432610428 and 9432610429 – for citizens.
“Safety of people comes first. We have cancelled several rallies that were to be addressed by senior leaders including our state president Sukanta Majumdar,” stated Bengal BJP’s chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya. Trinamool Congress national general Abhishek Banerjee cancelled his roadshow at Basirhat constituency in the North 24 Parganas.