Kolkata: In anticipation of Cyclone Remal, which is forecasted to make landfall between Khepupara in Bangladesh and the Sagar Islands in Bengal on Sunday night, the state administration is taking comprehensive relief and rehabilitation measures. Every conceivable step is being taken to ensure the safety and well-being of those in the storm’s path.
On Saturday, the district administration of South 24-Parganas held a high-level meeting with all relevant departments to ensure preparedness and implement all necessary preventive measures and arrangements.
Sunderban and the Sagar areas are expected to be the most affected by the supercyclone.
“We have already started evacuating low-lying areas in Sagar block, Namkhana, Patharpratima, parts of Kakdwip, parts of Joynagar, and parts of Gosaba. Cyclone shelters and identified schools are being used for temporary housing for residents near the coastline. Arrangements for cooking will also be made in these temporary shelters. Leaves for all relevant employees in the district, block, subdivision, and departments involved in disaster management have been cancelled until Monday,” said Sumit Gupta, District Magistrate, South 24-Parganas.
Fishing activities have already been prohibited in the sea until Monday, and the Transport department will halt ferry movement starting Sunday, possibly even from today (Saturday) depending on sea conditions. “Control rooms have started functioning in all blocks expected to bear the brunt of the super cyclone,” said a senior official of the district administration.
In Saturday’s preparedness meeting chaired by the District Magistrate, the Health Department was instructed to stock all emergency medicines. Employees of the State Power Department were asked to be ready for quick restoration of electricity in case of power outages. The Public Health Engineering Department was directed to dispatch 20,000-25,000 water pouches to each block. Additionally, sufficient stocks of baby food and candles will be ensured.
All requisite relief materials have started to reach blocks like Ghoramara, Mousuni Islands, G-Plot, Gobindapur and Patharpratima which are the most vulnerable.
The Irrigation department will also be on high alert.
A dozen NDRF teams have been deployed and they will be stationed at Kolkata airport, Hasnabad, Basirhat, Gosaba, Kakdwip, Sagar, Digha, Ramnagar, Kanthi, Dantan, Narayangarh and Arambag. Two teams will be at Digha.
Since Saturday morning, extensive announcements have been made in places like Digha, Bakkhali, and Sagar, urging tourists to leave as soon as possible in light of the severe cyclone.
A special disaster management control room, staffed by WBCS officers, has been made operational at Nabanna.
Taking several precautionary measures, KMC cancelled leaves for all relevant employees amid the ‘red alert’, expecting very heavy rainfall and wind speeds of 70-80 km per hour.