Cyclone Remal Update: 12 NDRF Teams Deployed To Vulnerable Areas, NCMC & Coast Guard Assesses Readiness

Rescue and relief teams from the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard, along with ships and aircraft, are on alert.

New Delhi: The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), the country's top decision-making body for emergency situations, convened on Friday under the leadership of Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to assess preparedness for Cyclone Remal in the Bay of Bengal. The committee directed that all fishermen currently in the Bay return to safety and emphasised ensuring no loss of life and minimal property damage.

During the meeting, it was reported that 12 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed to vulnerable areas, with an additional five teams on standby.

Rescue and relief teams from the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard, along with ships and aircraft, are on alert. The Director General of Shipping has been issuing regular alerts and advisories to the ports of Kolkata and Paradip.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Remal is expected to make landfall between West Bengal's Sagar Island and Bangladesh's Khepupara on Sunday at midnight.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba instructed the government of West Bengal to review the placement of large hoardings in areas expected to be affected by Cyclone Remal, citing a recent incident in Mumbai where 16 people were killed due to the collapse of a giant hoarding during a dust storm. Gauba assured the West Bengal government that all central agencies are on high alert and ready to provide assistance.

The Director General of the IMD briefed the NCMC on the current status of the depression over the central Bay of Bengal, located approximately 800 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh) and 810 km south of Canning West Bengal.

According to the release, the depression over the central Bay of Bengal is very likely to move northeastwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by the night of May 25. It is expected to then move northwards and is very likely to cross the coasts of Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal, between Sagar Island and Khepupara, around midnight on May 26.

The storm is predicted to have wind speeds of 110-120 kmph, gusting up to 130 kmph, starting from the evening of May 26. The Chief Secretary of West Bengal briefed the NCMC on the state's preparatory measures for the impending cyclonic storm.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea, and those already at sea have been called back to safety. District control rooms have been activated and are actively monitoring the situation.

Adequate shelters, power supplies, medicines, and emergency services have been readied. Additionally, the Ministry of Power has deployed emergency teams to ensure immediate restoration of power in the event of outages.

The NCMC directed that essential services such as power and telecom be restored as quickly as possible in the event of damage. Reviewing the preparedness of central agencies and the West Bengal government,  Rajiv Gauba emphasised the importance of taking all necessary preventive and precautionary measures.

He stressed that the primary goal should be to ensure zero loss of life and to minimize damage to property and infrastructure. Gauba reiterated that essential services, if disrupted, must be restored in the shortest possible time.

The cabinet secretary said that it must be ensured that the fishermen currently at sea are called back and people from vulnerable areas are evacuated well in time, the release said.

The meeting was attended by the chief secretary of West Bengal, the union home secretary, secretaries in the ministries of power, telecom, ports, shipping & waterways, petroleum and natural gas, and the department of fisheries among other senior officials. 

Coast Guard Conducts Surveillance Along Projected Path Of Cyclone Remal

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has undertaken extensive coordination efforts with state administrations and stakeholders to ensure a synchronised response to potential contingencies arising from Cyclone Remal.

Information pertinent to the evolving situation has been promptly disseminated to facilitate preparedness and coordinated action. The ICG's Remote Operating Stations at Haldia and Paradip are actively broadcasting regular and multilingual alerts via Very High Frequency channels, advising transit merchant mariners to take necessary precautions.

In addition, ICG ships and aircraft are conducting surveillance along the projected path of the cyclonic storm to provide timely assistance and support. With nine disaster relief teams strategically positioned at key locations including Haldia, Paradip, Gopalpur, and Frazerganj, the ICG stands ready to offer immediate aid in case of emergencies.

Furthermore, efforts have been made to notify Bangladesh Coast Guard authorities and caution fishing communities and merchant vessels about the developing situation.