Remal devastates southern coast of state, claims 3 lives

Flight and suburban rail services resume after temporary suspension 

PTI, Kolkata, May 27, 2024 : Nearly 15,000 houses in 24 blocks and 79 municipal wards, mostly in the southern coastal areas of West Bengal, were affected by Cyclone Remal, a senior official of the state government said on Monday. 

At least 2,140 trees were uprooted in different parts of the state which also witnessed the falling of 337 electric poles, he added. According to the initial evaluation, at least 14,941 houses were damaged, out of which 13,938 were partially affected while 1,003 were destroyed, he said. 

"The figures will probably increase after another round of evaluation. Our officials in the districts are working and the process of evaluation is still on. The estimation of the damage is being calculated," the official told newspersons. 

The administration had shifted 2,07,060 people to the 1,438 safe shelters, he said, adding that at the moment there are 77,288 people. 

"There are 341 gruel kitchens being operated at the moment. We have distributed 17,738 tarpaulin to the affected people in the coastal and low-lying areas," he said. The affected areas included Kakdwip, Namkhana, Sagard Island, Diamond Harbour, Fraserganj, Bakkhali and Mandarmani. 

At least three persons were killed in West Bengal and its coastal areas suffered extensive damage to infrastructure and property, as Cyclone Remal tore through the state and neighbouring Bangladesh with winds speeds reaching 135 km per hour, officials said. One person died and two others were injured in Kolkata following heavy rain triggered by Cyclone Remal that pummelled the coasts of West Bengal and neighbouring Bangladesh with devastating wind speeds, officials said on Monday. 

A man died of his injuries when a wall collapsed due to relentless downpour on Sunday at the Bibir Bagan area of Entally in central Kolkata, a state disaster management official said. Two others suffered injuries in Maniktala area after the cyclone struck, though the exact cause is yet to be known, he said. 

Kolkata recorded 150-mm rainfall in 24 hours till 8.30 am, while neighbouring Salt Lake received 110-mm rain during the period. Tarakeswar in Hooghly received the highest amount of rainfall in south Bengal at 300 mm, the Met office said. Vehicular traffic movement was disrupted in several pockets of Kolkata since Monday morning, the first working day of the week, as trees lay uprooted and streets overflowed with water on account of the incessant rain the cyclonic system brought over the city. Reports of uprooting of trees were received from Southern Avenue, Lake Place, Chetla, D L Khan Road, Dufferin Road, Ballygunge Road, New Alipore, Behala, Jadavpur, Golpark, Hatibagan, Jagat Mukherjee Park and College Street, as well as the city’s adjoining Salt Lake area, the officials said. 

Around 68 trees were uprooted in Kolkata, and another 75 in nearby Salt Lake and Rajarhat area. “Water-logging was reported from various places including Southern Avenue, Lake View Road, Pratapaditya Road, Tollygunge Phari, Alipore and Central Avenue, resulting in traffic diversion,” a senior officer of Kolkata Traffic Police said. 

Major arterial roads like Central Avenue and College Street in central Kolkata and pockets of Ballygunge, Dhakuria and Behala in the south continued to remain waterlogged during the later part of the day as well. 

Meanwhile, train services in the Sealdah South section of Eastern Railway resumed at 9 am after remaining suspended for three hours in the morning, an ER official said. 

Flight services from the Kolkata airport also resumed on Monday morning after being suspended for 21 hours in view of the cyclone, a senior Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said. Metro Railway services in the north-south corridor were disrupted in parts for four-and-a-half hours on Monday morning. 

Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said the municipal corporation was trying to address the situation on war footing. "The situation is not that worse compared to what it was when Cyclone Amphan hit. 

The trees are being removed to make way for traffic. The drainage pumps are also operating at full strength," Hakim told PTI. Salt Lake Mayor Krishna Chakraborty said the uprooted trees have been removed and roads are clear for traffic movement. 

Meanwhile, Governor C V Ananda Bose said in a message issued by the Raj Bhavan: 

"We are all greatly relieved that no reported casualty is there. Cyclone Remal is weakening. The people of Bengal are able to brave it with courage. We are keeping a watch on the situation. If there is any need, Raj Bhavan's doors are open for all." 

The Governor has also constituted a task force at the Raj Bhavan.