Hope you are safe after the Amphan Cyclone!

Everyone slowly started coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. Suddenly we got the Amphan Cyclone alert, especially for West Bengal and Odisha people it was nothing but like tends to end.

Generally Kolkata gets moderate loss in any cyclone like Bulbul, Hudhud, Fani, etc. But this time Amphan Cyclone seems to be horribly destructive in Kolkata. Hundreds of big trees are uprooted into roads, wires, homes, small shops, even cars. Many buildings previously marked as “Dangerous Building”, already lost a few of its parts, homes without casting lost its asbestos sheet or tile roof (টালির ছাদ). Traffic signal post, roadside light post almost everything took a severe hit.

What is Amphan Cyclone?

Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan (/ˈʊmpʊnˈ/) was a powerful tropical cyclone that caused widespread damage over Eastern India and Bangladesh on 20th and 21st May 2020. Cyclone Amphan is also the costliest cyclone ever recorded, shattering The 12 Year 12-year-long record of Cyclone Nargis. Amphan Cyclone originated from a low-pressure area persisting a couple of hundred miles east of Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 13 May 2020.

Quick facts about Amphan Cyclone

1. Wind speeds of 140 knots (160 mph; 260 km/h) sustained for 1 minute.
2. Wind speeds of 130 knots (150 mph; 240 km/h) sustained for 3 minutes.
3. A minimum central barometric pressure of 925 mbar (27.32 in Hg).
4. Kolkata faced an average of 100-120 km/h cyclonic storm, and the maximum speed reached 133 km/h at 7:20 PM, 20th May 2020.

Kolkata, Hooghly, Howrah, East Midnapur, North, South 24 Parganas, and the Coastal areas in Odisha were badly affected by the Amphan cyclone. It also caused significant destruction in Bangladesh.

Amphan effect in my area, Kolkata

Although electricity in my exact area is not that badly affected, thanks to God. But in places, there are different dangerous incidents that happened as electricity wire fell into water-logging and road caused few casualties. Many people are out of electricity since 20th May 2020 even within a kilometer of my locality.

Internet, cable line and cellphone services are also severely affected due to losing multiple towers, wire cut, and electricity loss. Currently, in my area Jio is working fine but Airtel and Vodafone users are facing very frequent disconnection issues. Most of the cable operators are trying to restore cable connection so that people can at least watch television during this lockdown.

According to the News, 60% of cell phone towers are affected in 8 districts where Amphan entered.

In the current COVID-19 lockdown, almost everyone prefers to be at home, many of us are doing work from home or simply consuming social media a lot. But due to these few hours of Cyclone Amphan, everything changed. No entertainment, no work, not even getting news on the current situation. Lastly, due to the mobile signal issue, we cannot talk to our loved ones, all of this makes this a huge mess, literally a panicked-like scenario.

This horrible cyclone Amphan happened on 20th May and the next day I just got shocked to see many roads are blocked by uprooted trees. In a few sections, multiple trees have fallen like a jungle between city roads. Cars, small shops, light posts, trams, and other wires were laid down like hell.

It is better to say that Nature finally answered to all our bad works.

Amphan Cyclone effect, Bethun College Hedua, 21st May 2020

Amphan Cyclone effect, road block for uprooted tree, 21st May 2020

Amphan Cyclone effect, tree uprooted in Bidhan Sarani, 21st May 2020

Amphan Cyclone effect in Bidhan Sarani, 21st May 2020

Amphan Cyclone effect water-logging, 21st May 2020

As per the state government, almost 1 lakh crore worth of damage occurred, and also more than 72 people were found dead (more than 150 in India) due to Cyclone Amphan. Currently, due to the COVID lockdown, many people are not earning money, in this cyclone really made everything more devastating.

Thanks to the Chief Minister of West Bengal and every frontliner

Truly speaking State Government, especially the Honorable Chief Minister of West Bengal, Smt. Mamata Banerjee tried a lot. For example, moving approximately 6 Lakh people from roads, Jhupris, weak or raw homes to the nearest shelter including all fisheries. She repeatedly requested everyone to stay home and also monitored the situation herself from the control room throughout the time.

• As a preventive measurement, The state government turned off electricity in many places to avoid collateral damage through wire cut.
• Repetitive announcements through SMS the news seem to reach the maximum people.

As a human being, we do not harness any power to withhold natural calamity or a disaster like Amphan cyclone. But she did an outstanding job and Thank You for whatever we all can save under her leadership and guidance. Readers, please don’t be political, this is a perfect example of humanity we all should learn or maintain and every person including influencers like politicians should also do the same.

Lastly, I would like to thank you, news channels like ABP Ananda, Zee 24 ghanta, News 18, and their respective news reporters, anchors. They really gave us timely updates, which helped a lot to save ourselves; they made the impossible possible.

We should be ready next time

Definitely, this kind of natural calamity can never be stopped nor can we guarantee zero casualties, but we can take proactive measures to minimize the effect.

1. All the electrical, cable TV and telephonic wires should go underground just like water lines.
2. Drainage systems need to be cleaned frequently. Although this is already evident in many places.
3. All large and high hoarding, banner, and advertisement boards should go through integrity inspection regularly.
4. The State Government should mark and enforce immediate repair to all dangerous buildings.

Important Link

• Amphan Cyclone Wikipedia

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How was your experience in the Amphan Cyclone? How much are you or your nearest ones affected?

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