A cyclonic storm developing in the Bay of Bengal is expected to hit the coasts of West Bengal and neighbouring Bangladesh as a severe cyclone on May 26 (Saturday), the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday. Cyclonic storm Remal is likely to coincide with the voting in eight seats in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state on Saturday.
According to the Met Department, Remal is expected to hit the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh on the morning of May 26 with a speed of 110-120 kilometres per hour, gusting at up to 135 kilometres per hour, the IMD said. The severity will remain for almost 24 hours till the morning of May 27 and then will lose intensity, it added.
The storm is likely to turn into a deep depression on May 25 (Friday) and as a severe cyclonic storm on May 26, the weather office said.
The IMD has issued an orange alert for light to moderate rainfall in Kolkata, Howrah, Nadia, Jhargram, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur districts.
"A well-marked low-pressure area over west-central and adjoining south Bay of Bengal moved northeastwards during the past 12 hours, concentrated into a depression and lay centred at 5:30 am on May 24 over central Bay of Bengal, about 800 km south-southwest of Khepupara (Bangladesh) and 810 km south of Canning (West Bengal)," the IMD said in its bulletin.
"It is very likely to continue to move northeastwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm over east-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of May 25. Subsequently, it would move nearly northwards, intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by the evening of May 25," it added.
"Continuing to move nearly northward, it is very likely to cross Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupara around the midnight of May 26 as a severe cyclonic storm," the IMD said.
The weather office has warned fishermen at sea to return to the coast and not venture into the Bay of Bengal until May 27.
The cyclone is expected to coincide with polling in eight Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal on Saturday -- Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura and Bishnupur.
The Election Commission has alerted the district administrations to take all precautionary measures at polling stations in view of the brewing storm, an official said.
West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Ariz Aftab reviewed the situation in a meeting with superintendents of police and state disaster management officials and directed them to take necessary steps to prevent any untoward situation.
"The SPs have been asked to take adequate measures," Aftab told news agency PTI.
According to sources in the state disaster management department, all necessary measures are in place and additional personnel have been sent to coastal districts.
