Cyclone Remal’s influence remains in weather for ‘longest period’

The influence of severe cyclone Remal has not yet dissipated even though the cyclone made landfall a day ago. Most of the areas, including the capital city, of the country could experience wind gusts and heavy rains until Tuesday night, predicted the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).

The cyclone crossed the area around Bangladesh’s southern port of Mongla and the adjoining Sagar Islands in India’s West Bengal making landfall at about 8:00 pm on Sunday before weakening on Monday morning.

Stormy wind blew at a speed of 90-120 kph through the districts of Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Patuakhali, Barguna, Bhola and other coastal districts. Tidal surge was also created under the influence of the cyclone. It rained across the country Monday as well.

Meteorologists and climatologists said the aftermath of severe cyclone Remal would last at least for 45 hours. Earlier in 2009, severe cyclone Aila’s influence remained in the weather for 34 hours after it had made landfall.

National Oceanographic And Maritime Institute  (NOAMI) executive director Mohan Kumar Das told Prothom Alo the influence of the cyclones that struck the country since the liberation war remained limited within the coastal and a few other adjacent districts. But the influence of Remal has affected the whole country. At the same time, the influence sustains for the longest period.

Fahad Al Abdullah, a researcher at an organisation that works under NASA, and five other researchers conducted a study on the type of cyclones formed in the Bay of Bengal. The study report was published in the Journal of Climate in November last year.

The study showed that the warm conditions of the Bay have been creating stronger cyclones due to climate change.

Fahad Al Abdullah told Prothom Alo as the trans speed has decreased, the wind has been carrying a large amount of cloud from the Bay which is creating heavy rains after the landfall of the cyclone. For example, Remal approached the coast at a speed of 11 kmph until Sunday morning though the cyclones formed in the Bay between 1990 and 2020 approached at an average speed of 14 kmph.

The amount of loss and destruction could be more for this changing pattern of the cyclones, think the local and foreign experts.