Cyclone Remal slams into Bangladesh coast as hundreds of thousands evacuate

 

Cyclone Remal has struck the low-lying coast of Bangladesh, leading authorities to evacuate over 800,000 people from their homes.

The cyclone made landfall in Khepupara at around 8 PM local time, bringing winds up to 120 kilometers per hour. The government raised the danger signal to its highest level, urging residents to move from vulnerable areas.

Officials have established over 7,000 cyclone shelters and deployed 78,000 volunteers to assist with evacuations.

Despite these efforts, a ferry overloaded with passengers sank near Mongla, injuring at least 13 people.

Cyclone Remal follows a series of devastating storms that have hit Bangladesh in recent decades, exacerbated by climate change.

In May last year, Cyclone Mocha was the most powerful storm since Cyclone Sidr in 2007, which killed over 3,000 people.

India's weather department predicts the storm will make landfall in West Bengal overnight. More than 50,000 people in India have been relocated from the Sundarbans mangrove forest.

The Indian government has mobilized disaster relief forces, suspended flights in Kolkata, and kept the Navy on standby.

Both countries aim to prevent casualties and mitigate damage, highlighting the increasing frequency and severity of such superstorms due to climate change.