Indian Metalogical Department and all other concern authorities alerted the coastal states like Odisha and West Bengal about an impending cyclone 5 days ago of its landfall. The alert was about a category 1 cyclone.
But, at the evening of 20th May, the strongest cyclone of this century over the Bay of Bengal hit the ground near the coast of West Bengal. The storm is named by Thailand, Amphan, became a nightmare for the people of West Bengal as it demolished South and North 24 Paraganas with a wind speed exceeding 170km/h. Then, at a speed of 130km/h, it wreaked havoc throughout the Kolkata and other sub-urban areas. Weakened down by the city structures, monuments, it paved away to Bangladesh with less amount of power left at its arsenal.
After passing through the sleepless night of howling winds when West Bengal woke up at the morning overcast condition of 21st May, a scene of total destruction and chaos was waiting for them. Thousands of trees were uprooted by piece of sticks, hundred thousand mud houses were scaled down to earth, crops wasted under knee-deep water. The severity of the storm was so huge that huge trucks were pushed down to ground on the road. At Kolkata, Indian Army was deployed to cut up the tress and restore normality at war footing.
80 people in West Bengal have succumbed to death due to this crisis. In this super cyclone almost 7000 trees are uprooted only in Kolkata. A million people became homeless in a single night of destruction. Total of 8.13 lakh people needed to be evacuated from the misery. Accumulating total financial loses of 1 lakh crores throughout the affected districts.
10.5 lakh hectares of field and around 1 lakh betel leaf farm are affected, if not destroyed totally. Only in the district of Hooghly, a whooping 600 crore rupees of crops have turned into nothing but mud just in one fateful night.
4.5 lakh electricity poles and a total of 273 electrical sub-stations were collapsed in the crisis, leaving ‘powerless’ millions of men, women and children. According to Mamata Banerjee, CM of WB, “60% people of the state is somehow affected” by this calamity.
1231 out of 1746 water supply systems are damaged, making thousands depend upon bottled or pouch of water.
According to govt. officials, 317 km of PWD roads, 4710 kms of rural roads and arounds 300 small bridges are damaged.
Central government has already assured a 1000 crore relief package for this cause with an assurance of more aid.
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