Cyclone Remal Updates: Deep Depression in Eastcentral Bay of Bengal Poses Threat to West Bengal Coast

The deep depression over Eastcentral Bay of Bengal has shifted nearly northwards at a speed of 17 kmph over the past 6 hours. As of 0830 hrs IST on 25th May, 2024, it was centered over the same region near latitude 18.0°N and longitude 89.7°E. The system is approximately 440 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh), 440 km south-southeast of Sagar Islands (West Bengal), and 480 km south-southeast of Canning (West Bengal).

The depression is expected to continue its northward movement and intensify into a Cyclonic Storm over eastcentral and adjoining north Bay of Bengal around the evening of 25th May. Further northward movement is anticipated, with the system intensifying into a Severe Cyclonic Storm by the morning of 26th May. It is forecasted to cross the Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupara by midnight on 26th May as a Severe Cyclonic Storm, with wind speeds of 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph. A storm surge of up to 1.5 meters is expected to inundate low-lying areas of coastal West Bengal and Bangladesh at the time of landfall.

The weather department has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea in the north Bay of Bengal until the morning of May 27.

A red alert has been issued for West Bengal’s coastal districts of South and North 24 Parganas on May 26 and 27, where extremely heavy rain is expected in some areas.

An orange alert has been issued for Kolkata, Howrah, Nadia, and Purba Medinipur districts, warning of wind speeds of 80 to 90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph, along with heavy to very heavy rain at one or two places on May 26-27.

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