Cyclone kills 3 in Bengal, 10 in West Bangladesh

Kolkata, May 27

At least three persons died in West Bengal and its coastal areas suffered extensive damage, as Cyclone Remal tore through the state and neighbouring Bangladesh, where 10 persons died, with winds speeds reaching 135 km/hour.

The weatherman has forecast more rain in Kolkata and southern districts, including Nadia and Murshidabad, with one or two spells of intense downpour, along with gusty surface winds till Tuesday.

• 24 blocks Affected 15,000 houses damaged in Bengal
• 8 Kolkata-bound flights diverted to other cities
• 2,07,060 people shifted to 1,438 safe shelters

A total of 14 National Disaster Response Force teams were deployed for relief and restoration work across districts in south Bengal, including Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly. Relief materials have been dispatched to affected areas. — PTI

Relief from heatwave likely in 3 days

New Delhi: The IMD said on Monday that the northwestern and central parts of the country will get respite from heatwave by May 30. The department has withdrawn any red alert warnings after May 30 on account of a western disturbance, which could bring down the temperatures.

IMD chief M Mohapatra said the southwest monsoon could make its onset over the Kerala coast on June 1 and the country would record above-normal rain in peninsular and central India. “We are sticking to our earlier forecast of above normal rain and there is high probability that monsoon will be above normal or excess,” he said.