Storm's exceptionally wide track leaves trail of destruction in northeast

Guwahati: Cyclone Remal, which rampaged through the northeast region after battering Tripura and Mizoram on Monday, left a trail of destruction primarily due to the exceptionally wide track pointed towards the northeast that was not followed earlier by cyclones, Met officials said.

While cyclonic storms ravaging the northeast is not an unprecedented occurrence in May, weather experts deemed it one of the most catastrophic thus far considering the impact after landfall.Head of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Guwahati, KN Mohan, said the trajectory pursued by Remal made the difference this time.
"It's a typical phenomenon during May for cyclones to generate in the Bay of Bengal and advance towards Bangladesh. As they near the coast, they intensify into a cyclonic storm. But when it penetrates the northeast, it is in the form of deep depression, which amasses lots of moisture and triggers heavy rainfall. However, the most devastating effect this time has been attributed to the track as the movement was entirely towards northeast India covering a wide range. Thus, it has exerted a tremendous impact," Mohan told TOI on Tuesday.
Mohan added that this track towards the northeast was not adhered to by cyclones previously. "This time, the track (depression area) encompassed a vast and exceptionally wide area. It extended all the way from West Bengal, Bangladesh, Mizoram, Tripura and up to Assam," he said.
He, however, added that the overall intensity of rain will progressively diminish from Wednesday.
Met officials said for two days - Monday and Tuesday - the cyclone had battered the northeast, keeping disaster management agencies on high alert. Even as the impact of Remal has abated at the time of filing this report, exhibiting a clear sky over Guwahati and its vicinity, the region is gearing up for more rains as conditions have become suitable for the onset of the southwest monsoon in the northeast. "The conditions also continue to become favourable for further advance of the southwest monsoon into some parts of NE during the next 3-4 days," read an IMD bulletin.
The calamitous storm, accompanied by rain, significantly impacted Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, as well as the southern and lower regions of Assam throughout the night and into the early morning hours. Cherrapunji and Mawphlang in Meghalaya experienced the heaviest rainfall, measuring 60 and 39 cm, respectively in the last 24 hours till Tuesday morning. Over 20 locations across Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura recorded extremely heavy rainfall during the period.
The tempestuous weather system persisted until it eventually dissipated over eastern Assam and its vicinity on Tuesday evening.
The depression (remnant of Cyclonic Remal) over east Bangladesh moved nearly northeastwards with a velocity of 16 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at 11:30 hours IST of Tuesday over northeast Bangladesh and adjoining Meghalaya.