Cyclone Remal Wreaks Havoc In India And Bangladesh, Claims 16 Lives

Cyclonic storm Remal claimed lives of as many as 16 people in India and neighbouring Bangladesh. The first cyclone of 2024 pounded the coasts of Bay of Bengal and snapped power lines leaving millions without electricity.

In West Bengal, four people lost their lives due to electrocution, taking thee total death toll to six in the state.

Meanwhile in neighbouring Bangladesh, 10 people have died due to the aftereffects of Remal.

"At least 10 people were killed in the cyclone," informed Mohibur Rahman, Bangladesh's junior minister for disaster management and relief.

Both India and Bangladesh have evacuated almost a million people to storm shelters - 110,000 in India and 8,00,000 in Bangladesh, respectively.

However, IMD has reported that Remal has now weakened into a depression over eastern Bangladesh.

Head Eastern Region, IMD Kolkata, Dr Somnath Dutta on Monday said, "After making a landfall, Remal Cyclone moved into the northward direction. The strength of Remal has reduced from severe cyclonic storm to cyclonic storm. Remal will gradually lose its energy. By evening, it will become a deep depression".

In an X post, IMD informed that, "Deep depression over Bangladesh weakened into a depression and lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of 28th May, 2024 over east Bangladesh, about 170 km west-southwest of Silchar, 260 km nne of Mongla, 60 km wsw of Srimangal and 100 km northeast of Dhaka."

As Remal made the landfall late Sunday, heavy rains and strong winds battered the coastal region. The gusty winds uprooted trees and damaged power lines.

Flights from Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport resumed its operation from Monday after remaining suspended for 21 hours.

The severe storm crossed over to the coastal regions of West Bengal's Sagar Islands and Bangladesh's Mongla port with whopping wind speeds of 135kmph, the IMD reported.

Remal's landfall began on Sunday at around 9pm IST and lasted for about five hours, IMD said.