Cyclone Remal likely to hit Bengal coast on 26 May midnight, says IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday, 24 May, said cyclone Remal is very likely to hit the West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupara around Sunday, 26 May midnight.

IMD attributed the cyclonic storm to a depression formed over central Bay of Bengal which is continuing to move northward.

“The well-marked low-pressure area over west-central and adjoining south Bay of Bengal concentrated into a depression on the 24 May, over the central Bay of Bengal about 800 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh) and 810 km south of Canning (West Bengal).

Continuing to move nearly northward, it is very likely to cross Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupara around 26 May midnight as a severe cyclonic storm, it added.

IMD has predicted light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over coastal districts of West Bengal and adjoining districts of North Odisha on 26 and 27 May and isolated extremely heavy rainfall likely over coastal districts of West Bengal on 26 May.

IMD has also forecast light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places likely over Mizoram, Tripura and South Manipur on 26 May and over Assam and Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura on 27 and 28 May.

Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places likely over the Andaman Islands on 24 May.

According to IMD, wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely to prevail over the central and adjoining South Bay of Bengal on 24 May. Wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely along and off Bangladesh, West Bengal and adjoining North Odisha coasts from 25 May evening which is likely to increase becoming gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph from the morning of 26 May and 100-120 kmph.

Rough to very rough sea conditions are likely over the central and adjoining south Bay of Bengal on 24 May. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the south Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea till 24 May, the central Bay of Bengal till 26 May and the North Bay of Bengal from 25 May to 27 May.

Fishermen out at sea have also been advised to return to the coast.