Cyclone Remal, which made landfall on Sunday night between the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh, unleashed a heavy trail of destruction in the afflicted regions. Meaning ‘sand’ in Arabic, Remal is the first cyclone in the Bay of Bengal region this year. It has marked the onset of the monsoon season spanning June to September. The nature’s fury swept across Kolkata as well, as the city faced torrential rains and strong winds. The cyclone tragically claimed the lives of 51-year-old Sheikh Sajid and 80-year-old Renuka Mondal, of Kolkata, apart from uprooting trees and damaging infrastructure extensively. In adjoining Bangladesh, the destruction has been even more intense. News reports suggest that at least seven people have been killed in Bangladesh as well. The human cost of the disaster, however, extends far beyond these tragic casualties. Both nations, Bangladesh and India, are learnt to have moved nearly a million people to storm shelters—about 8,00,000 of them in Bangladesh, and roughly 1,10,000 in India. The repercussions of displacement, even if temporary, are multifaceted and long-lasting. Colour-coded warnings were issued in certain other Indian states as well, including Assam and Odisha.
Reassuringly, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported that the cyclone weakened into a “cyclonic storm” on Monday. However, the damage, as is evident, has already been done. Kolkata received a staggering 144 mm of rainfall in a single night, leading to widespread waterlogging and disruption of daily life. Commuters faced significant difficulties as train services were cancelled and flight operations at the Kolkata airport were suspended for nearly 20 hours. Beyond inflicting transportation woes, the heavy rains and strong winds, with speeds reaching up to 135 km per hour, caused severe damage to property. Numerous trees were uprooted, and electricity poles were knocked down, plunging many areas into darkness and disrupting communication. Reports indicate that millions were left without power as the cyclone lashed the coasts of Bangladesh and West Bengal.
In response to this calamity, municipal authorities and disaster management teams sprang into action. Efforts to clear debris, remove fallen trees, and restore normalcy are ongoing. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation reported that several dozen trees have been uprooted, and attempts to remove them are continuing in full swing. At the time of writing this editorial, the extent of the damage was still being assessed. Despite the cyclone’s weakening, the IMD has issued a red alert for Murshidabad and Nadia districts, warning of extremely heavy rainfall. Kolkata, along with several other districts, is likely to experience thundershowers and gusty winds.
Cyclone Remal has yet again pushed our attention towards the importance of preparedness and resilience in cases of natural disasters. For this year, Remal represents just a beginning—indicating what may be lying ahead in the upcoming months, not just for West Bengal, but for other states as well. As climate change continues to influence weather patterns, the frequency and intensity of such cyclones may only fluctuate. It is time for coastal states of India to learn from the experiences of each other and adapt to the changes necessitated by climatic aberrations. Furthermore, it is crucial for both government agencies and citizens to enhance their readiness for future mishaps. Efforts must be ramped up to build more resilient infrastructure, improve early warning systems, and cultivate a culture of preparedness. It is quite good to see both the Central and state governments according due primacy to the relief and rehabilitation efforts. This should continue, with even greater degree of collaboration. That’s the best approach to deal with these inevitable furies of nature.