Cyclone Remal: One killed after wall collapses in Kolkata

As cyclone Remal caused widespread destruction across West Bengal, one person was killed after a wall collapsed in Kolata. 

One individual was also injured after being hit by debris in the Gosaba area of the Sundarbans.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) meanwhile said that Remal has weakened into a cyclonic storm and will possibly weaken during the day.

Flight operations which were suspended at the Kolkata airport from May 26 noon until 9 am on May 27 as precautionary measure, are yet to commence.

Authorities evacuated more than 1 lakh people from the vulnerable areas in West Bengal. The cyclone made landfall on May 26 at around 8.30 pm between the state's Sagar Island and Khepupara in Bangladesh, with wind speeds reaching up to 135 kmph.

According to the latest IMD bulletin, the cyclone is "likely to move north-northeastwards and gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm during next three hours". Taking to the microblogging site X, it said, “Thereafter, it would move northeastward and gradually weaken further.”

Work is underway to clear roads in the city’s Alipore area as teams from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Kolkata Police Disaster Management Department are continuing to clear uprooted trees.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting on May 26 to review the response and preparedness for cyclone Remal. He was briefed that the National Crisis Management Committee was in regular contact with the Bengal state government.