Life in this metropolitan city and neighbouring coastal districts of West Bengal is gradually limping back to normal on Monday after Sunday night’s Remal landfall, which uprooted hundreds of trees and scores of light masts besides leaving one person dead in cornice collapse, official sources said.
“Severe Cyclonic storm Remal over coastal Bangladesh and adjoining coastal West Bengal weakened into cyclonic storm at 0530 hrs of the 27 May, about 70 km northeast of Canning ( West Bengal) and 30 km westsouthwest of Mongla (Bangladesh). The system is likely to gradually weaken further, ” an IMD’s latest bulletin said.
Sources said the air services, which were suspended over 21 hours from 12 pm on Sunday, resumed though the departure and arrival were being delayed due to logistic constraints with rain still lashing the city.
Sources said one flight took off 9 am sharp from NSCBI airport as it had announced the scheduled of suspension between 12 pm Sunday to 9 am on Monday owing to Remal.
Many areas were still under water on the tarmac, which was being removed, sources added but continuous rain affected the restoration.
Eastern Railway began its passenger train services from Sealdah to south section, which falls under South 24 Parganas, the worst ravaged area following Remal.
ER sources said in the main section only Hasnabad train service was disrupted owing to waterlogging on the track.
Metro Railway, the backbone of the commuters service in this thickly populated city, however, began its truncated services owing to waterlogging on track between Park Street and Esplanade.
Sources said Metro services were on between Dakshineswar (extreme north) and Girish Park and Uttam Kumar station at Tollygunge and New Garia (Kavi Subhash) extreme south.
They said one person died after a portion of cornice fell on him at Moulali in the central part of the city.
The authorities said the assessment of the damage was being done as many areas remain out of contact due to waterlogging, uprooting of light masts and disruption of internet services.
Kolkata received some 150 mm of rainfall last night as many areas were out of bound due to uprooted trees on the roadside.
Remal made landfall between Bangladesh and West Bengal, bringing gusts up to 135 kmph and heavy rains that flooded homes and farmland in South 24 Parganas, where both state administration and many NGOs, including Bharat Sevashram Sangha, opened camps to evacuate the affected people.
Remal also washed off thatched huts and flattened mud houses in parts of South 24 Parganas.
