Cyclone Remal: Northeast On High Alert, Officials Asked To Be Prepared

Ahead of the approaching severe cyclonic storm "Remal", disaster management authorities and security forces in various northeastern states have been placed on high alert and the district administrations asked to take advance precautionary steps.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, Cyclone Remal has made landfall between Sagar Island along West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh, intensifying into a severe cyclone. A maximum sustained wind speed of 110-120 kmph, gusting to 135 kmph, prevails around the cyclone centre.

Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram governments have issued separate advisories and asked the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Forces, district administrations and other departments to maintain maximum vigilance.

The Assam government has taken measures to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said the IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall over Assam along with other northeastern states on May 27 and 28.

An Orange alert has been issued for Dhubri, South Salmara, Bongaigaon, Bajali, Tamulpur, Barpeta, Nalbari, Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, and West Karbi Anglong districts and Red Alert for extremely heavy rainfall in Chirang, Goalpara, Baksa, Dima Hasao, Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts, an ASDMA statement said.

The Tripura government has closed all educational institutions including universities on May 27 and 28.

The state's Revenue Secretary Brijesh Pandey said in view of Remal's impact on the coastal region of West Bengal, including Kolkata, all kinds of flight operations in the Kolkata-Agartala route were suspended till 9 a.m. on Monday.

Flight services on other routes -- Agartala-Guwahati, Agartala-Delhi, and Agartala-Bengaluru -- are operating normally.

The first cyclone in the Bay of Bengal in this pre-monsoon season, it has been named "Remal" (or sand in Arabic), according to a system of naming cyclones in the Indian Ocean region.