Cyclone Remal claimed six lives, including one unconfirmed so far, ravaging several districts in south Bengal, mainly South 24-Parganas, North 24-Parganas, East Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly and East Bardhaman since Sunday night. Many mud-thatched-houses in Hingalganj, Jharkhali, Bakkhali Frazerganj and Gosaba in the coastal belts of Gangetic West Bengal were also damaged. With a wind speed of around 130 kmph the severe cyclone had a landfall at Mongla (Bangladesh) between the coastal belt Sagar island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh around 11pm on Sunday.

The six victims of the cyclone include four men and a 80-yearold woman. The first victim was reported in Kolkata when a man died of his injuries after a wall collapsed due to the heavy shower on Sunday night at the Bibir Bagan area of Entally in the central part of the city. Roofs of thatched huts were blown away, uprooted trees blocked roads in Calcutta as well as in the coastal districts, and electricity poles were knocked down causing significant power disruption in various parts of the state, including in the city’s outskirts, according to officials of the state disaster management department. Around 1,200 electric poles, including 300 in South 24-Parganas were uprooted by Remal. More than 300 huts in Sundarbans were also badly damaged since Sunday, according to the officials. The state government evacuated more than one lakh people from vulnerable areas mainly in the Sundarbans ahead of the cyclone’s landfall.

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The chief minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the state chief secretary B P Gopalika to prepare a detailed report on casualties and damages of properties caused by the severe cyclone. In her X handle Miss Banerjee has assured to give monetary compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the family members of the deceased. Several pockets in Ballygunge, Park Circus, Dhakuria and Alipore in South Calcutta, Behala in the West and College Street, Thanthania Kali Bari, CR Avenue and Sinthi in the northern part of the city and Shibpur, Salkia, Kadamtala, Tikiapara, Ramrajatala, in the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) area remained waterlogged since Sunday night because of heavy downpour. Suburban train services from the Sealdah terminal station were also partially suspended for at least three hours, adding to commuters’ woes, before operations limped back to normal.

Flight services at the Calcutta airport resumed on Monday morning after remaining suspended for 21 hours in view of Cyclone Remal. Airport sources, however, said it will take some more time for the situation to become normal. In a later update today, the Alipore Met office said ‘Remal’ weakened into a cyclonic storm at 5.30 a.m. on Monday, about 70 km northeast of Canning and 30km west-southwest of Mongla. The system is likely to gradually weaken further. Calcutta recorded a rainfall of 146mm in the period between 8.30 a.m. on Sunday and 5.30 a.m. on Monday, the weatherman said. The city recorded a maximum wind speed of 74 kmph, while Dum Dum in the northern outskirts of the city recorded maximum wind speed of 91 kmph, the Alipore weather office said.