Remal's wake leaves 33 dead, many missing in northeast; West Bengal toll 9

AIZAWL/GUWAHATI: Strong storms with damaging winds and heavy rain in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal pummelled Mizoram, Assam, and Meghalaya from Monday evening, resulting in at least 33 deaths and many missing people, officials said Tuesday. The cyclone, which dissipated into a deep depression, moved through the North-East, leaving a path of destruction - landslides, collapsed buildings, power and internet disruptions.
Apart from the fatalities in the North-East, Kolkata and the districts recorded three more deaths Tuesday, adding to the six reported the day before since the cyclone made landfall between Sagar Island in Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh Sunday night. The nine deaths in Bengal were attributed to electrocution, fallen trees, and house collapse.
In Mizoram, 28 people lost their lives in landslides and rain-triggered events since Monday night, according to state disaster management and rehabilitation officials. "The death toll may rise further as rescue work continues," an official said Tuesday.
State capital Aizawl was the hardest hit, with heavy rain sweeping away dozens of buildings. Thirteen bodieswere retrieved from debris in Melthum locality after a stone quarry collapsed and destroyed their homes.
In nearby Hlimen neighbourhood, six people perished. A landslide in Salem locality of southern Aizawl claimed the lives of a three-member family. Their bodies were found on Tuesday.
In Assam, the cyclone claimed four lives, including a student, and injured several schoolchildren. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority reported fatalities in Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Morigaon, and North Lakhipur districts, with three deaths caused by falling trees and one by a landslide.
Meghalaya reported one death in East Jaintia Hills after a wall collapsed on a 26-year-old man. In response to the devastation, Mizoram govt ordered the closure of all educational institutions and offices, except for emergency and essential services.
Power and communication services were disrupted across many areas due to fallen electric poles and uprooted trees in Mizoram, Assam and Meghalaya.
The storm's impact extended from Bengal and Bangladesh through Mizoram, Tripura, and up to Assam, affecting a vast area.