Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has assured the people that the government is taking all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of citizens as Cyclone Remal is expected to bring severe weather to parts of Assam.
“We are taking several precautionary measures. NDRF and SDRF teams are on standby, control rooms are operational, and we are deploying a whole-of-government approach to keep our citizens safe. Stay safe and please cooperate with your local administration,” Sarma wrote on the microblogging site X.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast that Cyclone Remal, after making landfall in West Bengal and Bangladesh, will move northwards, significantly affecting Assam with extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds on May 27 and 28.
An Orange Alert has been declared for several districts, including Dhubri, South Salmara, Bongaigaon, Bajali, Tamulpur, Barpeta, Nalbari, Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, and West Karbi Anglong. A more severe Red Alert is in place for Chirang, Goalpara, Baksa, Dima Hasao, Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj, with squally winds expected to reach speeds of 40-50 km/h, gusting up to 60 km/h, over South Assam and Meghalaya.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority is overseeing all preparedness measures, with teams dispatched to vulnerable areas on high alert. The power department has made elaborate arrangements in case of power outages, and the irrigation department is closely monitoring major dams to maintain constant water flow.
The Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Remal’ crossed the Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts between Sagar Islands and Khepupara, close to the southwest of Mongla, near Latitude 21.75 degree N and Longitude 89.2 degree E,” stated the IMD in a post on X.