Cyclone Remal | Updates on May 25, 2024

Kolkata airport to suspend flight operations for 9 hours from May 26 midnight in view of cyclone Remal’s landfall

According to an update by the Indian Meteorological Department, the deep depression over East central Bay of Bengal lay over same region about 420km S SE of Sagar Islands (West Bengal) and 420km S of Khepupara (Bangladesh). This will intensify into a cyclonic storm by today evening and cross between Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts around midnight midnight of May 26. 

This is the first cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this pre-monsoon season and will be named Remal, given by Oman, according to a system of naming cyclones in the north Indian Ocean region.

An orange alert was issued for Kolkata, Howrah, Nadia and Purba Medinipur districts by the Met, warning of 80 to 90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph wind speed, and heavy to very heavy rain at one or two places on May 26-27. Wind speed will reach 60 to 70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph over Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman and Paschim Medinipur districts, accompanied by heavy rain.

Other districts in south Bengal will experience a wind speed of 40 to 50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, it said.

In north Odisha, the coastal districts of Balasore, Bhadrak and Kendrapara will receive heavy rain on May 26-27, while heavy precipitation is likely in Mayurbhanj on May 27.

- PTI

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to concentrate into a cyclonic storm by Saturday evening and make landfall on May 26 night along the adjoining coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh, the Met office said.

The cyclone is likely to make landfall with a wind speed of 110-120 km per hour, gusting to 135 kmph, it said.

The Met office has warned of extremely heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of West Bengal and north Odisha on May 26-27.

Extremely heavy precipitation may hit parts of northeast India on May 27-28.

- PTI

The Tripura government has issued an alert across all eight districts following the Indian Meteorological Department’s warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and thunderstorms over the next 48 hours, an official said.

The IMD said a depression originating in the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm on Saturday.

“Due to the influence of the cyclonic storm, heavy rainfall and gusty winds are likely in Tripura from May 25 to May 28,” said Tamal Majumder, additional secretary (Revenue).

He said heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at isolated places in South Tripura, Gomati, Dhalai, Sepahijala, and West Tripura districts on May 26. “An orange alert has been issued in these districts as a precautionary measure,” he added.

- PTI

After days of heavy rainfall, Kerala appears to be in for a respite before the southwest monsoon sets in, going by the latest India Meterological Department projections.

The IMD has not forecast very heavy rainfall for the State for the weekend, as per a 10 a.m. update. In most districts the heavy spells of the past several days are expected to abate over the weekend. 

Isolated heavy rainfall is expected in seven districts on Saturday. The districts - Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod - are on yellow alert (7-11 cm in 24 hours). 

Cyclonic storm “Remal”, originating in the central Bay of Bengal, is expected to escalate into a severe cyclonic storm by May 25.

According to the latest input of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the storm is likely to cross the coast between Sagar Island of West Bengal and Khepupara of Bangladesh around 6 p.m. on May 26, with wind speeds at 110-120 kmph, and gusts at 135 kmph.

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With pre-monsoon rains leading to inundation and the actual monsoon just round the corner, the Kerala High Court directed that all drains in areas prone to flooding in the port-city of Kochi be cleared of debris to ensure free flow of water through them during the rainy season.

The direction was issued by Justice Devan Ramanchandran who said that it was “unfortunate” that the court has to intervene every year in the issue of flooding of many parts of the city during the rainy season.

The court noted that the heavy rains that hit the State in the past few days led to many parts of the city being inundated. “...these have been identified broadly as being 15 hot spots,” it said.

PTI

Heavy rains continue to lash Kerala with parts of the state receiving over 200 mm of rain in the last 24 hours and places in major cities including Kochi and Thrissur remaining waterlogged on May 24.

As the southern State reels under the impact of heavy pre-monsoon rains, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) today issued an Orange alert for three districts.

An Orange alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki districts.

A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert denotes very heavy rainfall of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm.

PTI