Cyclone Remal to make landfall in Bengal tonight; Trains, flights cancelled

Cyclone 'Remal' has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and is expected to make landfall between Bangladesh and the West Bengal coast by Sunday midnight. The storm will have maximum sustained winds of 110-120 km/h, with gusts up to 135 km/h, according to the Met department.

The severe cyclone is expected to bring extremely heavy rain to the coastal districts of West Bengal and heavy to very heavy rain to Kolkata and nearby areas. The storm will likely move northwards, intensify further, and make landfall between Sagar Island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh, near the southwest of Mongla port, by Sunday midnight. It will have maximum sustained winds of 110-120 km/h, with gusts up to 135 km/h, according to the weather office.

Check out the top 10 latest updates on Cyclone 'Remal':

Cyclone Remal began forming from a low-pressure system over the southwest and west-central Bay of Bengal.
The IMD predicts that Cyclone Remal will continue to strengthen, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, and storm surges. The current warning is in effect until May 28, but it may be extended if needed.
The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall in West Bengal's coastal districts and heavy to very heavy rainfall in north Odisha on May 26 and 27. Assam and Meghalaya are expected to receive extremely heavy rain, while Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh will see heavy to very heavy rain on May 27 and 28.
The weather department in Agartala has issued orange alerts for Tripura from May 26 to 28. They warn of thunderstorms with lightning, squally winds of 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph, and heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across all districts.
The weather department advises people to stay indoors and avoid going outside during the warning hours.
NDRF inspector Zaheer Abbas said on Saturday that their teams are fully prepared for the cyclone. "If the cyclone hits, our soldiers are ready to handle any disaster. We are well-equipped for tree falls and flood rescues, ready to deal with every situation," he told ANI.
Due to Cyclone Remal, Kolkata airport will suspend flight operations for 21 hours starting Sunday. "In view of Cyclone Remal's impact on West Bengal's coastal region, including Kolkata, flight operations will be suspended from 12:00 PM on May 26 to 9:00 AM on May 27 due to predicted heavy winds and rainfall," the airport authority said.
Several local trains in the Sealdah and Howrah divisions, which usually connect Kolkata and Howrah with nearby districts, have been canceled. The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata will suspend all cargo and container handling operations for 12 hours starting Sunday evening.
West Bengal officials began evacuating people from coastal, low-lying, and vulnerable areas on Saturday.
Cyclone 'Remal' marks the first cyclone in the Bay of Bengal for this pre-monsoon season. Named according to the system for naming cyclones in the Indian Ocean region, 'Remal' translates to 'sand' in Arabic