Cyclone Remal Aftermath: Trail Of Death And Destruction In Nagaland, West Bengal South Coast

Cyclone Remal: The aftermath of Cyclone Remal is now coming to the fore as Nagaland reported at least four deaths and damage to more than 40 houses.

This information was shared by a senior official who said that a seven-year-old boy drowned at Laruri village under the Meluri subdivision following heavy rainfall due to the bearing of the cyclone while two other drowning incidents were reported from Doyang Dam in the Wokha district on Monday.

Elderly Man Crushed To Death

The official said that in the Phek district’s Rekizu ward, an elderly man was crushed to death after a wall collapsed.

The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) has received reports of extensive damage to houses and properties from across the state, including Chuchuyimlang village in Mokokchung district, Noksen subdivision under Tuensang district and Awotsakili village in Zunheboto district, he said.

NDRF Deployed

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have been deployed for the rescue and relief operation.

“For the first time in the history of the state, an underwater drone was pressed into service by the NSDMA for the search operation,” the official said.

The incessant rain also caused mudslides in Kikruma village in Phek district on Tuesday, he added.

Cyclone Remal pummelled the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh when it made landfall around midnight on Sunday, May 26, with devastating wind speeds.

Death And Destruction In West Bengal

Meanwhile, an official of the West Bengal government said that on Monday, 27 May, at least six people were killed as Remal hit the South Coast Of West Bengal the most.

Nearly 29,500 houses in 24 blocks and 79 municipal wards, mostly in the south coastal areas of the state were partially or entirely damaged by Cyclone Remal while 2,140 trees were uprooted and about 1,700 electric poles fell in various parts of the state.

Thousands Of Houses Damaged

According to the early valuation, out of the damaged houses, 27,000 suffered partial damage, while 2,500 were completely destroyed. The state government official cautioned that these figures might change as evaluations are ongoing, with data collection and damage estimation still in progress.

“The figures will probably change as the evaluation process is still not complete. Data is being collected from the districts and the estimation of the damage is being calculated,” said the official while talking to news agency PTI.

(With PTI inputs)