At least six people died and the livelihoods of thousands were disrupted in four districts of Bengal — North and South 24-Parganas, East Midnapore and East Burdwan — by Cyclone Remal’s wrath.
Farms were inundated with saline water in coastal areas.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee praised the preparedness of her government and said she would conduct an aerial survey of the affected areas and reach out to the affected people with compensation.
“I convey my condolences to those who lost their family members following this cyclone. Many have lost their homes and vast agricultural land was damaged. The administration is working to help those affected people on the ground. I want to assure all those affected by this natural calamity that I will conduct an aerial survey, and our government will compensate your damages,” Mamata said on Monday during a poll campaign rally in Burrabazar.
“You should not worry in the crisis period. Didi is your paharadar (guard),” Mamata said on completion of her march.
Renuka Mondal, 80, a resident of the Bagdanga area of Mousuni island in Mathurapur Lok Sabha seat, was killed after a branch of a giant tree fell on her early Monday morning. She died on the spot. Mathurapur TMC candidate Bapi Haldar met her family following an instruction from party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
In Nungi of South 24-Parganas, Tapasi Das, 53, died of suspected electrocution when she attempted to cross a waterlogged road on Monday morning. A neighbour claimed that a live electric wire had fallen into the watery road near her house.
Electrocution claimed the lives of a father and son in East Burdwan’s Memari. Farey Singh, 64, and his son Tarun Singh, 32, were killed by electrocution when they touched a banana tree that was in contact with a live electric wire from a roadside post. The duo were declared dead at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital.
A trader, Gopal Barman, 47, of Panihati, North 24-Parganas, was killed by electrocution as he allegedly tried to hook electricity from a roadside electric post.
Nandalal Ghorai, 50, got electrocuted after coming in contact with a live wire hanging in front of his house at Durgachak police station area in Haldia town on Monday. Doctors at Haldia Subdivisional Hospital declared him dead.
A source in the state government said that since Met officials alerted about cyclone Remal, the administration in three coastal districts took multiple safety measures. Thousands of villagers from riverine and coastal areas were evacuated on Sunday morning. The administration also arranged food and ensured no one went outside during Remal’s landfall.
“Five of six deaths are because of electrocution. There have been no reports of deaths because of the devastation so far. The administration has been monitoring the situation in the coastal areas round the clock,” said a state government official.
Mamata said she was personally monitoring the preparedness to combat the cyclone with her officials and disaster management groups for the last 24 hours.
“I was monitoring the rescue and evacuation of thousands of people for the last 24 hours. I could attend this rally only after my work was completed,” said Mamata at Burrabazar.
Rain and winds on Monday led many leaders, including Abhishek and Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar, to call off their events. CPM candidates Srijan Bhattacharya and Pratikur Rahaman spent the day helping people.
Modi road show
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to take part in a road show in north Calcutta on Tuesday evening. The roadshow will start from Shyambazar Five Point and end at Swami Vivekananda’s residence on Simla Street. Modi will address campaign rallies in Barasat’s Ashoknagar and Baruipur. Tuesday’s forecast predicts a clear sky.
