Cyclonic Storm 'Remal' expected to weaken gradually: IMD

NEW DELHI: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday informed that the Cyclonic Storm 'Remal' over Coastal Bangladesh and adjoining Coastal West Bengal moved northwards, with a speed of 15 kilometres per hour within the duration of the past 6 hours and lay centred at 08:30 am today over the same region.

According to the IMD on 'X', Remal had weakened into a cyclonic storm in the early hours of Monday and is expected to gradually weaken further.

"Flight operations resumed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata at 08:59 am, after it was closed for flight operation yesterday in view of the #CycloneRemal," the official X handle of Kolkata Airport posted.

Debali Datta, a passenger, said, "I had my flight yesterday which got delayed. The airport authority informed me that it will depart today. This is because of the cyclone. Since we got to know beforehand, it did not create a lot of trouble for us."

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose with the Raj Bhavan task force also went on a field visit after the cyclone resulted in a landfall last night.

"We are all greatly relieved that no reported casualty is there. Remal cyclone is weakening and the people of Bengal have been able to brave it with fortitude and courage. We are watching in case there is any need for any help. Raj Bhavan task force is ready. I thank the entire people of West Bengal for the solidarity which they have expressed," Bose said.

Following the landfall, waterlogging had been witnessed in parts of Kolkata with heavy rain.

Several trees were also uprooted in Kolkata's Alipore area as heavy rain and gusty winds lashed several parts of West Bengal.

The IMD earlier informed that the storm 'Remal' would continue to move nearly northwards for some more time and then north-northeastwards and weaken gradually into a Cyclonic Storm. The cyclone moved northwards and crossed the Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal Coasts between Sagar Islands and Khepupara close to southwest of Mongla, said IMD.

"It lay centred at 01:30 hrs IST of today, the 27th May, 2024 over Coastal Bangladesh and adjoining Coastal West Bengal, near latitude 21.9°N and longitude 89,2°E about 115 km east of Sagar Islands (West Bengal), 105 km west-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), 70 km southeast of Canning (West Bengal) and SO km south-southwest of Mongla (Bangladesh), The system would continue to move nearly northwards for some more time and then north-northeastwards and weaken gradually into a Cyclonic Storm by morning of 27," added the post by IMD.