Cyclone Remal to make landfall tonight at 135 kmph

Cyclone Remal, a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal that intensified into a cyclonic storm, is expected to turn severe before making landfall between the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh on Sunday night, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday (May 26) morning.

The cyclone will likely cross West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupara with a wind speed of 110 to 120 kmph, gusting to 135 kmph, and make landfall on Sunday midnight.

According to the weather department, the cyclone is forecast to significantly impact West Bengal, coastal Bangladesh, Tripura, and some other parts of northeastern states with heavy rainfall and strong winds.

Earlier, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), in its latest bulletin, asked the maritime ports of Payra and Mongla to keep hoisted danger signal number no seven as the deep depression over east-central Bay and adjoining west-central Bay intensified into Cyclone Remal on Saturday evening. 

The Met Office asked to hoist danger signal 6 for Cox's Bazar and Chittagong sea ports.

All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.

Remal, which means sand in Arabic, is the first pre-monsoon cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this season. The name was provided by Oman, following the regional naming system for cyclones in the north Indian Ocean.