Flights suspended, orange alert and more: How Kolkata is preparing itself for cyclone Remal landfall
Times of India | 26 May 2024
KOLKATA: A severe cyclonic storm named Remal has formed over the Bay of Bengal, resulting from the intensification of a low-pressure system in the area.
IMD has forecasted that the storm will reach land between the coastal regions of West Bengal and Bangladesh at 12 a.m. on Sunday night.
Meteorological department has been closely monitoring the development of this cyclonic storm and has issued necessary warnings to the affected areas.The landfall of the storm is expected to bring heavy rainfall, strong winds, and potential flooding to the region.
Here's how Kolkata is preparing itself for incoming cyclone Remal:
KMC to deploy additional personnel and machines in waterlogging-prone areasPortable pumps are kept ready for low-lying and non sewer areas KMC parks and square department to keep tree cutting gangs ready across 16 boroughs The KMC lighting and electricity department to check for loose wiresCity police will coordinate with NDRF, fire brigade, KMC and the civil defence to ensure minimum response time to any emergencyTraffic guards to keep eye on traffic signals and hoardingsA command centre set up at Lalbazar with representatives of all nodal lamp post feederAdvertisement department sends reminder to ad agencies for structural stability of billboards agencies. The centre will coordinate rescue work, if requiredKolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport authorities have decided to suspend flight operations for 21 hours starting from Sunday noon, as the state prepares for Cyclone Remal.
Cyclone Remal impact on city
“Kolkata is likely to see most of the cyclone’s impact in the 24-hour period between Sunday and Monday afternoon. The first six hours fromSunday afternoon are crucial to determine the storm’s impact,” said Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) head of weather H R Biswas.
Kolkata fell within the “high impact zone” of Cyclone Remal that could sail within 100 km of the city after landfall, said an official.
Met officials warned about the risk of losing electricity and communication links and damage to infrastructure in Kolkata and neighbouring south Bengal districts.
The most-affected districts over the next two days are likely to be East Midnapore and North and South 24-Pargana, which may receive isolated pockets of extremely heavy rainfall of over 200 mm and wind speed gusting up to 120 kmph, compared to the 90 kmph predicted for Kolkata.
An orange alert was issued for Kolkata, Howrah, Nadia and Purba Medinipur districts.