Bengal: 6 Dead as Cyclone Remal Ravages Coastal Areas, Inundates Swathes of Land

Kolkata:  It was devastation everywhere in the coastal regions of West Bengal and in the capital city of Kolkata, as cyclone Remal made its landfall in the bordering regions of West Bengal and Bangladesh on Sunday night and Monday morning in the wee hours.

For about the next six hours, cyclonic winds were noticed in the North and South 24 Parganas districts and Kolkata, Various embankments in South 24 Parganas district gave way to turbulence inundating swathes of land.

It has been estimated that in the South Bengal coastline, over 15,000 houses have been destroyed, mostly mud and thatched roofed houses.  

According to the state administration, in the affected 24 block areas and 79 municipalities, a total of 14,941 houses were destroyed, with 13,938 partially devastated and the rest 1,003 houses completely destroyed by the cyclone. 

Over 2,400 trees were uprooted, creating huge roadblocks in all major arterial roads in the state. About 337 electric poles too were, resulting in load-shedding in several areas.

The blocks most affected are Kakdwip, Namkhana  Sagar Islands,  Diamond Harbour, Frasergunj, Bakkahali, Hingalhung and Mandarmoni. 

There were reports of six lives lost, most of them due to brick structures giving way to cyclonic winds.

As per latest estimates, in the Sundarbans area, in about 410 places, river embankments were breached leading to inundation of inhabited lands.

Meanwhile, Red Volunteers, who made for relief and rescue work during the pandemic and lockdown, comprising mostly of Left leaning youths, pressed into action in the coastal areas.

Wearing their trademark Red T-shirts, the and motorcycle or cycle-borne youth reached the affected areas to carry out relief and rescue work, especially in the worst affected South 24 Parganas district.  

Several young CPI(M) candidates in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, such as Pratikur Rehman from Diamond Harbour constituency, Saratchandra Haldar of Mathurapur constituency and Srijan Bhattacharya of the constituency, are actively conducting relief and rescue efforts in their electoral segments.  

In Metiaburuj area of Kolkata, which has seen large-scale inundation due to the cyclone, Red volunteers played a key role in taking the affected people to relief centres.

In Bashirhaat, CPI(M) candidate Nirapada Sardar, was seen leading rescue efforts and arranging for drinking water due to inundation of tubewells in the rain, assisted by the Red Volunteers.

In Sunderbans’ Raidighi area, Left leader Kanti Ganguly was leading relief and rescue efforts along with Red Volunteers, as also in East Medinipur district in Tamluk area, Nandigram and other coastal areas, where shortage of safe drinking water is the biggest challenge.

Recall that Red Volunteers, a loose group of about 80,000 Left-leaning  students and youths, was formed during the Covid-19 period at a time when the state administration was found floundering in relief and rescue efforts.