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.
The Indian Coast Guard said on Friday that the cyclone is likely to make landfall near the West Bengal coast and the situation is being actively monitored. Comprehensive pre-emptive measures to ensure minimal loss of life and property at sea have been initiated.
According to the IMD, the well-marked low pressure area over west-central and adjoining south Bay of Bengal concentrated into a depression and lay centred at 5.30 a.m. on Friday over central Bay of Bengal. “It is very likely to continue to move north-eastwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over east-central Bay of Bengal by May 25 morning. Subsequently, it would move nearly northwards, intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by May 25 night,” the bulletin said.
Coordination efforts are underway with State administrations and stakeholders to facilitate a synchronised response to potential contingencies arising from the cyclonic storm, the Coast Guard said in a statement. To ensure the safety of maritime traffic, the Coast Guard’s remote operating stations at Haldia and Paradip are broadcasting regular and multilingual VHF (very high frequency) alerts, advising transit merchant mariners to take necessary precautions. “Additionally, Coast Guard ships and aircraft are conducting surveillance along the projected path of the cyclonic storm to provide timely assistance and support,” it added.
Merchant vessels at anchorages have been alerted, and port authorities have been advised to take appropriate actions. Despite the fishing ban in force, the fisheries department has been cautioned to inform country boats in their respective areas about the developing situation, the statement noted.
Given the location of likely landfall, the Coast Guard has also notified the Bangladesh Coast Guard asking them to undertake necessary preparations and disseminate alerts to their fishermen and merchant vessels.
Nine disaster relief teams have been positioned at strategic locations, including Haldia, Paradip, Gopalpur, and Frazerganj.
According to a study by the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), West Bengal has a high adaptive capacity against cyclones because of cyclone multi-hazard Early Warning Systems (EWS), which is made available under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) Phase II. Further, the state’s high teledensity ratio allows people to access early warnings via telephone or mobile, the study says.
A study by the CEEW analysing the occurrence of tropical cyclones over the last five decades found that the districts on the eastern coast of India are highly exposed to the impacts of cyclones. Vishwas Chitale, senior programme lead at CEEW, said, “Considering these risks the government has been strengthening the adaptive capacity of local stakeholders to reduce the degree of the loss through initiatives like the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP). Our research indicates that 100% of the population exposed to cyclones now has access to early warning systems.” He added that building on the success of reducing cyclone-related fatalities, India needs to develop frameworks to climate-proof critical infrastructure.
