Kolkata airport authorities have announced a suspension of flight operations for 21 hours, from 12 PM on Sunday to 9 AM on Monday, in anticipation of Cyclone 'Remal' hitting the region. The decision follows a meeting with various stakeholders to ensure safety and minimize disruptions.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Kolkata on May 26 and 27, warning of very heavy rainfall ranging from 11 cm to 20 cm. The low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into Cyclone Remal and is expected to make landfall between West Bengal’s Sagar Island and Bangladesh’s Khepupara around midnight on Sunday.
The coastal districts of West Bengal and northern Odisha are likely to experience extremely heavy rainfall on May 26 and 27. Additionally, a storm surge of up to 1.5 meters is predicted to inundate low-lying coastal areas during the cyclone's landfall. Fishermen have been advised to avoid venturing into the northern Bay of Bengal until the morning of May 27.
The IMD has issued a red alert for the coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas in West Bengal, predicting heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by wind speeds of 80-90 mph, gusting up to 100 mph, on May 26 and 27. An orange alert has been issued for Kolkata, Howrah, Nadia, and Purba Medinipur districts, forecasting similar conditions.
Cyclone Remal is the first pre-monsoon cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this season, prompting extensive preparedness measures to mitigate its impact.
