Cyclone Remal

Severe Cyclonic Storm Remal (/ˈrɛmæl/) was a tropical cyclone that affected West Bengal and Bangladesh in late May 2024. The was the first depression and the first cyclonic storm of the 2024 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, it originated from a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal and became a cyclonic storm on 25 May. Moving northwards, it intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and reached its peak intensity on 26 May, beginning its landfall process over Bangladesh. It continued moving inland on 27 May losing its convection while northeast of Dhaka. Its center became ragged as it weakened into a depression. On 28 May, it degenerated into a low-pressure area over Meghalaya.

In preparation of the cyclone, multiple airports and ports were closed and their operation temporarily suspended across India and Bangladesh. 800,000 residents in Bangladesh and 110,000 residents in West Bengal, residing primarily in coastal areas, were evacuated further inland, and 4,000 storm shelters were readied in Bangladesh. In India, 12 National Disaster Response Force teams were deployed.

Remal affected 3.75 million people in Bangladesh and caused damage to over 150,000 houses. 1,200 electricity poles were uprooted and 20,000,000 trees were destroyed in the forests of two coastal districts. At least ten deaths occurred in the country. In India, 34 deaths occurred in Mizoram, three in Assam, one in Meghalaya, and 13 in Telangana. Heavy rainfall flooded parts of Kolkata, Silchar, and the state of Manipur. Thousands of homes in West Bengal suffered damage and low-lying areas were inundated.