Tropical Cyclone Remal hit Bangladesh on Sunday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. It’s now moving across eastern India, knocking down trees, flooding roads, and causing a lot of damage.
More than 1 million people in both countries were moved from their homes before Remal arrived. Volunteers and soldiers are helping to clean up and give food and water to those who had to leave.
Remal had winds up to 135 kilometers per hour (84 mph) and is moving north across Bangladesh and West Bengal, according to the Indian Meteorological Department.
After reaching the coast, the storm became less powerful, with winds of up to 115 kilometers per hour (71 mph). Remal is predicted to bring heavy rainfall of over 89mm (3.5 inches) and storm surges of 2.5 to 3.7 meters along the coasts of the Bay of Bengal, reports CNN Weather.
The Mongla and Payra maritime ports in Bangladesh raised the highest alert signal, Great Danger Signal 10, on Sunday. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department advised all fishing and boating vessels to stay in shelter.
Around 2 million people live in areas affected by the storm in Bangladesh, according to BRAC, a non-profit organization. About half a million of them live in houses made of materials like clay, wood, plastic sheets, straw, or tin, says Dr. Md Liakath Ali, a disaster expert at BRAC.
Many areas are without electricity as authorities turned off power in advance to prevent accidents. Fallen trees and damaged lines caused power outages, according to Ali.
A particularly at-risk group is the stateless Rohingya communities who fled persecution in Myanmar in 2017. They live in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, which are prone to landslides and floods due to their fragile shelters. Many reside in bamboo and tarpaulin shelters on hilly slopes, making them vulnerable to strong winds, rain, and landslides.
A video filmed by a BRAC volunteer on Monday in Mongla showed a woman struggling to walk through floodwaters while strong winds almost knocked her down.
In India, a video from the National Disaster Response Force showed workers clearing fallen trees in West Bengal as heavy rain poured down on them. The Coast Guard was closely monitoring the landfall of Cyclone Remal, with ships and hovercraft ready to respond to any challenges.
Flights were affected after the main international airport in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, closed on Sunday.
Tropical Cyclone Remal has been moving across the Bay of Bengal since late last week, prompting authorities to prepare for its arrival.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that he checked the plans for managing disasters and getting ready for them. “I wish everyone stays safe and healthy,” Modi wrote on X.
Cyclones, also known as typhoons and hurricanes in North America, are big storms with strong winds and heavy rain. They get their power from warm ocean water and moist air. Scientists say the climate crisis is making them stronger.
A study from 2021 by researchers in China found that cyclones in Asia could be twice as powerful by the end of the century because of the climate crisis.
At the same time, parts of Western and Central India are dealing with extreme heat, with temperatures going over 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) in some places. This heat is making people sick and some schools have closed.
Climate scientists say these extreme weather events will keep getting worse because of the climate crisis, putting millions of people in India at risk.