Cyclone Remal: 16 dead in India, Bangladesh
The first major cyclonic storm of the year—Cyclone Remal—has claimed 16 lives across India and Bangladesh, reports said on Tuesday. Cyclone Remal made landfall at 8:30pm on Sunday, impacting the coastal areas between Sagar Island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh, southwest of Mongla. The cyclone has caused extensive damage and disruption, leading to the evacuation of nearly a million people over the last weekend.
Death toll and damage
The death toll from Cyclone Remal includes 10 people in Bangladesh and six in West Bengal. According to reports, some victims died while seeking refuge or due to their homes collapsing from heavy waterlogging and storms. In West Bengal, four deaths were caused by electrocution. The cyclone also uprooted at least 1,200 power poles and razed 300 mud huts, causing significant damage.
Power outages and disruptions
Cyclone Remal caused extensive damage to power lines, leading to power cuts across several coastal areas. Nearly three million people in Bangladesh and thousands in West Bengal were left without electricity due to the storm. Authorities reported that fallen trees and snapped electricity lines further disrupted power supply in many coastal towns. To prevent accidents, Bangladesh preemptively shut down electricity supply in some areas.
Watch: Visuals of the cyclone
Evacuation and relief efforts
Both India and Bangladesh relocated nearly a million people each to relief shelters amid heavy rains and rising water levels. Despite the disruptions, Kolkata resumed flights after more than 50 cancellations from Sunday and restored suburban train services. Bangladeshi climate expert Liakath Ali stated, "many people are stranded - it will be another long night ahead with millions not having electricity or shelter."
10,000 telecom towers affected
Cyclone Remal disrupted around 10,000 telecom towers, leaving millions without mobile service. The storm also damaged embankments and flooded coastal areas in the Sundarbans, home to some of the world's largest mangrove forests shared by India and Bangladesh. State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Mohibbur Rahman reported that the cyclone destroyed nearly 35,000 homes across 19 districts in West Bengal with an additional 115,000 homes partially damaged.
