Meghalaya: Schools to remain close on May 28 due to Cyclone Remal

SHILLONG: Schools and educational institutions in the state will remain close on Tuesday in the light of the adverse weather conditions caused by cyclone Remal. Till the filing of this report, order for closure of schools has come in from East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hill and West Garo Hills districts.  Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong assured that Meghalaya is fully prepared to tackle any natural disaster, including the upcoming Cyclone Remal. He emphasized the state's readiness in financial, physical and logistical terms, with Rs. 20 crores allocated for emergency use.

Tynsong highlighted that all government agencies, NGOs and village-level stakeholders have been instructed to stay in close cooperation. During a review meeting, Tynsong mentioned that all deputy commissioners are on high alert. Decisions regarding school closures will be made by district administrations. The state government has also issued advisories for necessary ground actions.

Addressing Shillong's drainage issues, Tynsong called for joint efforts from the PWD, Urban Affairs, and the Shillong Municipal Board. Vulnerable areas identified include parts of East Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, Southwest Khasi Hills and Eastern West Khasi Hills districts. The Deputy Chief Minister also said that since large tracts of land in the state belongs to either individual, traditional chiefs and other entities, plans to cut down vulnerable trees will involve consultations with local stakeholders.

The IMD has escalated its warnings for Meghalaya, Assam Tripura and Mizoram under Red Alert. These regions are expected to experience extremely heavy rainfall. With wind speeds potentially reaching up to 60 km/h. For May 28, the IMD has issued Orange Alerts for all seven northeastern states indicating continued heavy rainfall.

IMD has warned that anticipated heavy downpours could result in flooding in low-lying areas. It may also disrupt daily life across various regions of Meghalaya. The affected areas are Meghalaya Assam, Tripura Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram. In contrast Arunachal Pradesh has been placed under Yellow Alert for present day.

Meanwhile, weather department in Agartala has issued Orange Alerts. These are for Tripura from May 26 to 28. Warnings of thunderstorms are accompanied by lightning and squally winds. These winds may reach speeds of 50-60 km/h gusting to 70 km/h. There is also expectation of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across all districts of state.

Also Read: Cyclone Remal: 14 Guwahati-Kolkata flights cancelled

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