Howrah: Locals wade through a water-logged street in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan, at Tikiapara in Howrah district, Friday, May 22, 2020. (PTI Photo)
Cyclone Amphan Highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced a relief package of Rs 500 crore for cyclone-hit Odisha. The announcement came soon after he undertook an aerial survey of the state to review the aftermath.
In a tweet, Modi congratulated the people and the government of Odisha for managing the crisis well. “Everyone is fighting COVID-19. In such a time, we had a super cyclone in some parts of India. This became very worrying. At the same time, due to the well established processes in Odisha, many lives were saved. I congratulate the people and Government of Odisha,” he said.
Earlier today, Modi announced an immediate relief of Rs 1,000 crore for West Bengal after he held an aerial survey and assessed the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan which claimed 72 lives on Wednesday. Banerjee, however, insisted that the state had sufferred losses of over Rs 1 lakh crore for which it needed to be compensated.
At least 77 people were killed in the state, of which, 15 deaths were reported from Kolkata. The cyclone, which weakened into a depression on Friday, was further reduced to a well-marked low pressure area over North Bangladesh and the neighbouring area. “It is very likely to continue to move north-northeastwards and weaken further into a low pressure area during next 12 hours,” the Indian Meterological Department (IMD) had said . The cyclone hit Bengal and Odisha at a time when it is already struggling to fight the transmission of the novel coronavirus.
Cyclone Amphan made landfall in coastal areas of West Bengal at around 2.30 pm on Wednesday. (Express photo)
Indian film actor Shah Rukh Khan expressed his solidarity with the people of West Bengal and Odisha in the wake of Cyclone Amphan. Taking to Twitter, Khan said, "My prayers, thoughts & love to those affected by the devastation caused by cyclone Amphan in Bengal & Odisha. The news has left me feeling hollow. Each & everyone of them is my own. Like my family. We must stay strong through these testing times until we can smile together again."
The European Union has announced an initial funding of 500,000 euro for cyclone Amphan-affected people in India. Cyclone Amphan has left 80 people dead and thousands homeless in West Bengal, battering several parts of the state. It also wreaked havoc in Odisha damaging power and telecom infrastructure in several coastal districts.
"The EU will address immediate needs of people affected by the cyclone, as well as protect humanitarian aid and health workers from their exposure to the epidemic," EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic said in a statement. The EU is determined to start helping people in need with no further delay and provides an initial funding of 500,000 euro for India and 1,100,000 euro to support the immediate response in Bangladesh, the statement said.
"My thoughts are with the brave people who have been affected by tropical cyclone Amphan and especially those who have lost their loved ones. I am saddened to learn about fatalities in both India and Bangladesh, and the extent of destruction caused by strong winds, flooding and landslides, also damaging houses, infrastructure and livelihoods," Lenarcic said.
The turbulence caused by the cyclone has compounded the worries for the two states where the disease is spreading its tentacles fast, fuelled by the return home of lakhs of migrant workers.
Howrah: Mangled remains of a taxi after a tree fell on it, in the aftermath of Cyclone Amphan, at Ramrajatala in Howrah district, Friday, May 22, 2020. (PTI Photo)
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said West Bengal has suffered losses of more than Rs 1 lakh crore due to super cyclonic storm 'Amphan', which has killed 80 people and left thousands homeless in the state.
"The prime minister has announced Rs 1,000 crore emergency fund... What's the package I don't know. I have told him that we will give him the details. It will take some time to assess the full overall situation but damage is of more than Rs 1 lakh crore," she said. Banerjee said she "reminded the prime minister about Rs 53,000 crore the central government owes to the state for various social security schemes." "If they (Centre) give some money to us, we can work," she said. The chief minister said she showed Modi some photographs capturing the havoc caused by 'Amphan' in Kolkata.
*Rs 1,000 crore relief package annouced
*Ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of each of those killed
and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
*Modi appreciated Banerjee's efforts in galvanising the
state administration to deal with the natural disaster
People in various parts of Kolkata staged protests on Friday demanding immediate resumption of power and water supply, two days after cyclone 'Amphan' ravaged West Bengal, snapping cables, uprooting trees and leaving behind a trail of destruction. Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, on his part, gave assurances that normalcy would be restored in a week, as government officials were working round the clock to improve the situation. Attacking the TMC government, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said the protests were a proof that the ruling dispensation has failed to live up to people's expectations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who just conducted an aerial review of cyclone-hit Odisha, announced a refief package of Rs 500 crore for the state.
Bangladesh on Friday began assessing the damage caused by Cyclone Amphan that killed at least 22 people and left many displaced in the country's coastal areas.
*Twelve people died in Jashore, three in Pirojpur while Patuakhali registered two fatalities while Jhenaidah, Satkhira, Bhola, Chandpur and Barguna recorded one death each, the report said.
*The powerful cyclone has caused Taka 11 billion (USD 129 million) in damage to the housing, infrastructure, fisheries and livestock, water resources and agriculture in Bangladesh.
*At least 26 districts across the country have been affected by the cyclone.
*Around 1,100 kilometres of road in 26 districts, including Bagerhat, Khulna and Satkhira, have been damaged by the cyclone.
*The storm also harmed more than 200 bridges and culverts, 233 government infrastructures and sources of safe drinking water.
*Energy ministry officials said around 20 million electricity connections, out of total 36.4 million across the country, were severed as the cyclone hit.
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has written to Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik, chief ministers of West Bengal and Odisha respectively, expressing his sympathy for the loss of lives and property in the two states ravaged by cyclone Amphan. In his letters to the two chief ministers, the Buddhist leader said he is making a donation from the Dalai Lama Trust for the relief and rebuilding efforts "as a mark of solidarity with the people of West Bengal and Odisha." However, the amount of donation was not mentioned in the statement issued by his office on Thursday. "This morning His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote to Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Ministers of West Bengal and Odisha respectively to express his sadness over the loss of life, the devastation of property, as well as the hardship caused to so many people due to Cyclone Amphan," said the statement on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an advance interim assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for cyclone-hit West Bengal on Monday. In a video message after reviewing the situation with Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Basirhat in North 24 Parganas district, Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of each of those killed during the devastation caused by cyclone Amphan, and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
Motorists make their way through damaged cables and a tree branch fallen in the middle of a road after Cyclone Amphan hit the region in Kolkata, India, Thursday, May 21, 2020. People forgot about social distancing and crammed themselves into government shelters, minutes before Cyclone Amphan crashed in West Bengal. The cyclone killed dozens of people and the coronavirus nine in this region, one of India’s poorer states. Even before the cyclone, its pandemic response was lagging; the state has one of the highest fatality rates from COVID-19 in India. With an economy crippled by India’s eight-week lockdown, and health care systems sapped by the virus, authorities must tackle both COVID-19 and the cyclone’s aftermath.(AP Photo)
The Odisha government said on Friday that there has been no confirmation of any loss of human life in the state due to cyclone Amphan though it affected nearly 45 lakh people and damaged a large number of houses in the coastal districts. This is the first time that there has been no cyclone related death in the state, officials said. During its 21 years in the office, the Naveen Patnaik government has faced at least half-a-dozen cyclones -- Phailin (2013), Hudhud (2014), Titli (2018) Fani and Bulbul (2019) and now Amphan.
A look back:
*Patnaik assumed the office of the chief minister in 2000 in the backdrop of the super cyclone of 1999, in which at least 10,000 people were killed and the state was completely devastated.
*Immediately after assuming charge, Patnaik established the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) and prepared a roadmap to tackle calamities such as cyclones and floods, said former chief secretary A P Padhi, who successfully dealt with cyclones Titli and Fani.
*Despite the state government's zero casualty target, 44 people were killed in cyclone Phailin in 2013 and three fatalities were reported due to Hudhud in 2014.
*Similarly, cyclone Titli that made landfall close to Gopalpur claimed 59 lives and 12 people are still missing, official sources said.
*In 2019, extremely severe cyclone Fani made landfall in Puri and claimed at least 64 lives, and in the subsequent Bulbul that passed touching the Odisha coast in October, two people were killed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday began second leg of his visit as he reached Odisha. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik received him. The Prime Minister plans to take an aerial survey of affected areas in state. Earlier today, he visited West Bengal.
During her meeting with the Prime Minister today, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said West Bengal has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore due to cyclone Amphan. After conducting an aerial survey of some of the affected areas and attending a review meeting along with Modi in Basirhat, she said that there is a need to work together at this hour of crisis. Banerjee said she has briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the post-cyclone situation in the state.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today expressed solidarity with cyclone-hit West Bengal and Odisha, and offered help to the chief ministers of the two states. In a tweet, Kejriwal said, "Dear @MamataOfficial didi, on behalf of the people of Delhi, I extend our full support and solidarity with you and the people of West Bengal in the wake of the destruction caused by Cyclone Amphan. Kindly let us know if we could help in any manner in this hour of crisis". In another tweet, Kejriwal also expressed solidarity with Odisha and offered help to the state chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
"This is more than a national disaster. I have not seen such devastation in my life. Sixty per cent of people have been affected in West Bengal. More than six crore have been directly affected," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters at the Kolkata airport today. "It will take some time to restore normalcy... It's a catastrophe... severe disaster. Our officials and ministers are all working. Police are also working tirelessly. We are fighting three challenges -- there is lockdown, then there is Covid-19, and now this disaster. The villages have been entirely devastated," she noted.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today held a telephonic conversation with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and discussed the damages caused by Amphan. At least 12 people have been killed and nearly 2.2 lakh houses were damaged in Bangladesh due to the cyclone.
"We are battling a pandemic on one hand and there is a cyclone situation in some parts. Dealing with the pandemic requires social distancing whereas battling the cyclone requires people to move to safer areas," Modi said. He added: All aspects relating to rehabilitation, reconstruction will be addressed. We all want West Bengal to move ahead. Centre will always stand with West Bengal in these testing times. Despite these contradictions, West Bengal is fighting well. We are all with West Bengal in these adverse times."
"To ensure minimum loss, the state and central governments have worked together. However, we couldn't save around 70 lives and we do feel sad about it. We are with them at this hour of grief. Rs. 1000 crore advance assurance will be given to West Bengal. Rs two lakh would be given to the next of kin of the persons deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the persons who got seriously injured due to the cyclone in parts of West Bengal," Modi said.
"The whole country is with you. The Centre will stand beside you at all times. I had come to meet all of you but not possible due to Covid-19," Prime Minister Narendra Modi told reporters.
"Our village in Sandeshkhali (North 24 Parganas) is completely destroyed. Water from Choto Kolagachia river has gushed into our homes. We had cows and goats, they seem to have been swept away. We have no way to figure out where they are. Hundreds spent night at the cyclone relief centre. Social distancing norms is not a priority now. People have slowly started heading home to inspect damages. I don't know what is in store for our village," says Swapan majhi, who runs a NGO school.
Prime Minister Modi assesses the damages caused in West Bengal with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
During a telephonic conversation today with Banerjee, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik enquired about the intensity of the damage caused due to the extremely severe cyclonic storm and conveyed Odisha's absolute solidarity with the people of West Bengal at this hour of crisis, a statement released by the Odisha Chief Minister's Office said. Patnaik had on Thursday directed the chief secretary to remain in touch with his West Bengal counterpart and ensure all possible assistance to the neighbouring state. "The people of Odisha stand with the people of West Bengal at this hour of crisis," he had said.
Modi, Mamata and Governor Dhankhar held an aerial survey and thereafter landed at makeshift helipad at Bashirhat college grounds in North 24 Parganas. They are scheduled to hold a meeting on Amphan devastation and relief at the district itself.
The West Bengal chief minister also expressed her gratitude to President Ram Nath Kovind for conveying his support over a telephonic call. "I sincerely thank the Hon’ble President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji, for personally calling me to convey his support and concerns for the people of Bengal in this unprecedented time of crisis because of the cyclone. We are extremely grateful, sir," she tweeted.
According to official sources, Banerjee will be first holding a short meeting with the prime minister, during which she would brief him about the ground situation. "Later they would leave on a chopper for the aerial survey," an official said. The two leaders are also scheduled to hold review meeting on the post-cyclone situation.
Speaking at the airport, Mamata Banerjee said cyclone Amphan must be treated as a national disaster.
Upon his arrival, the Prime Minister was received by Banerjee and Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at the airport.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at Kolkata airport.
"The widespread devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal & Odisha is disturbing," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
Cyclone Amphan is now considered even more destructive than Cyclone Aila which slammed southern Bangladesh and eastern India in 2009, the United Nations has said. "The UN Country Team in India reported that Cyclone Amphan, which caused widespread damage around Calcutta is now considered even more destructive than Cyclone Aila, which slammed the region in May 2009," the UN said in a news report.
After cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in Odisha and West Bengal, teams of NDRF began their restoration work in Puri, Paradip, Naugada, Balasore, Kolkata, Howrah, East Midnapore, East Medinipur, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas on Thursday.
According to news agency ANI, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and offered all forms of assistance to the state.
Nearly 45 lakh people in Odisha have been affected by the extremely severe cyclonic storm Amphan, officials said on Thursday as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked them to submit report on damage to crops and houses within stipulated time. After making an aerial survey of the Amphan-affected districts, the chief minister directed officials to assess the damage caused to agriculture crop in next three days and survey of damage to houses and buildings in a week. "The cyclone has severely damaged houses, standing crops, electrical infrastructure and uprooted trees in many districts. Steps are being taken on a war footing to restore normalcy," Patnaik said.
Restoration work continued in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas, one of the areas largely affected by Amphan.
Prime Minister Modi has already left from Delhi to visit Kolkata and assess the cyclone-hit areas.
Kolkata-headquartered Bandhan Bank on Thursday said its services have been impacted in some areas of West Bengal and Odisha due to Amphan and the cyclone is likely to impact business worth Rs 260 crore. The lender expects to resume banking services in these areas shortly. As per the initial assessment, in our areas of operations, 49 banking units (micro banking outlet) in five districts were impacted, of which 45 are operational on Thursday, Bandhan Bank said in a regulatory filing. The bank could continue operations in all but five branches in the affected districts. "Where the outlets could not continue services, it was due to issues in accessibility. We expect these outlets to resume operations shortly," it said.
A day after cyclone Amphan lashed the coastal areas of West Bengal, destroying livelihoods and inundating agricultural land, people worst-hit by the calamity said on Thursday that social distancing and precautions to prevent Covid-19 are no longer a priority as they try to rebuild their lives. At Shankarpur, the storm uprooted several trees. The road parallel to the beach and connecting Shankarpur to Tajpur had boulders the tall waves had broken off the embankment. An excavator was clearing them from the 7-km road. At Tajpur, the uprooted trees blocked several roads. With relief not in sight, local residents got to work with axes and daggers. None of them wore masks. “We have lost everything. First, our livelihoods and now our houses. We cannot think of social distancing at this time. It is no longer a priority for us. We have to work together to remove trees. There is no time to think about coronavirus,” said Mriganka Ghosh, who plies an e-rickshaw.
According to Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), over 5,000 trees were uprooted across the city and hundreds of lamp posts damaged. The uprooted trees blocked several arterial roads. “Over 5,000 trees were uprooted and several houses have collapsed. The city has never witnessed a bigger disaster,” said Firhad Hakim, state Urban Development Minister and chairman of the KMC board of administrators.
Operations have resumed at both docks of Kolkata Port. A statement by Kolkata Port Trust said, “Operations resumed at Kolkata Dock System at 10 am, one ship departure took place at 12.30. Cargo handling operations also on, but due to tree falling at various places across city, not many trucks are coming in…”
A day after cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc, residents of Kolkata woke up to scenes of the destruction Thursday. Over 5,000 trees, hundreds of lamp posts and traffic signals were uprooted. Due to heavy rain, several areas were inundated and there was no power supply in some areas. With electricity poles uprooted, several areas of the city suffered disruptions in power supply. Telephone lines were snapped, broadband services hit and the mobile phone network too faced disruptions.
The NDRF personnel continued with the relief work in West Bengal's Uluberia area till late night on Thursday.
Odisha continued to assess the damage caused by cyclone Amphan on Thursday even as it put into effect relief and rescue measures. While officials said there has been some electrical and agricultural damage, the impact is much milder than in the neighbouring West Bengal. While there are reports that three people, including a two-month-old, were killed in cyclone- related incidents, there has been no official confirmation so far. In a meeting with Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy “thanked IMD for their accurate prediction about path and intensity of the cyclone; and, said that it helped Odisha in making advance preparations”.
Two teams from the Pune-based 5th Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force were airlifted on Thursday by an Air Force aircraft for deployment in West Bengal for evacuation, rescue and relief operations in areas hit by Cyclone Amphan. An officer from the Battalion said the IAF transport aircraft carrying two NDRF teams took off from the Lohegaon Air Force base in Pune around 7.30 pm and is slated to be deployed in Amphan-affected areas after landing at Kolkata. “This is a crucial deployment for NDRF, considering the fact that the teams will be facing two emergencies simultaneously, one that of the visible cyclone and another of the invisible Covid-19. Taking this into account, teams have been equipped and sensitised accordingly. NDRF has been training and equipping itself since the outbreak of Covid-19 to face and gear up for such complex emergencies. We have reformulated and tweaked our SoPs to operate in such situations.” said Sachchidanand Gawade, deputy commandant of the 5th Battalion.
A day after cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc over the city, Kolkata woke up to scenes of destruction on Thursday as over 5,000 trees, hundreds of lamposts and several traffic signals were uprooted. Due to heavy rainfall brought by the cyclone, several areas were inundated, with electricity cut off. According to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, 15 people have died in the city due to the cyclone.
At Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport, a small private aircraft which was parked in a hangar has been damaged while two hangers were destroyed. A portion of the airport was also flooded in rainwater. Later, operations resumed at the airport. Read more here
A day after cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc over the city, Kolkata woke up to scenes of destruction on Thursday as over 5,000 trees, hundreds of lamposts and several traffic signals were uprooted. Due to heavy rainfall brought by the cyclone, several areas were inundated, with electricity cut off. According to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, 15 people have died in the city due to the cyclone.
At Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport, a small private aircraft which was parked in a hangar has been damaged while two hangers were destroyed. A portion of the airport was also flooded in rainwater. Later, operations resumed at the airport. Read more here
A day after cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc over the city, Kolkata woke up to scenes of destruction on Thursday as over 5,000 trees, hundreds of lamposts and several traffic signals were uprooted. Due to heavy rainfall brought by the cyclone, several areas were inundated, with electricity cut off. According to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, 15 people have died in the city due to the cyclone.
At Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport, a small private aircraft which was parked in a hangar has been damaged while two hangers were destroyed. A portion of the airport was also flooded in rainwater. Later, operations resumed at the airport. Read more here
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi offers 'condolences and support' to those affected by Cyclone Amphan. "I offer my support to the brave people of these two states in this time of crisis," Gandhi said.
Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were airlifted on Thursday from Pune to join rescue operations in cyclone-hit West Bengal and Odisha, said an official. The tropical cyclone 'Amphan' hit coastal areas of West Bengal and Odisha on Wednesday.
The monstrous cyclone tore through West Bengal where 72 people were killed and two districts were completely devastated with thousands of people left homeless, bridges washed away and low-lying areas in waist deep water. It also wreaked havoc in Odisha, damaging power and telecom infrastructure in several coastal districts. Odisha government officials estimated that the cyclone has affected around 44.8 lakh people in the state.
We have sent 80 people in these two teams to West Bengal and Odisha. The flight took off on Thursday evening from Pune's Lohegaon airport, the official said here. We have sent the teams with proper precaution for COVID-19 as well. We will be facing two challenges at the same time rescue operations and coronavirus infection, he said. The teams underwent special training as NDRF personnel will have to rescue and support people and avoid any contact with them at the same time, he added. PTI
Lears from across the country have expressed solidarity with West Bengal Odisha over the devastation caused by the cyclone.
With Cyclone Amphan wreaking havoc in West Bengal, including Kolkata, senior medical practitioners at the frontline in the war against COVID-19 are apprehensive that the number of cases would rise substantially in the days ahead as the social-distancing norms would go up in smoke and there would be curbs on the spending to tackle the pandemic. At least 72 people were killed and lakhs rendered homeless as the extremely severe cyclonic storm cut a path of destruction through half-a-dozen districts of Bengal including the state capital, blowing away shanties and uprooting thousands of trees, besides swamping the low-lying areas.
A day after Amphan, major roads remain blocked in Kolkata as work for clearing them starts.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik came forward on Thursday to provide all possible assistance to West Bengal, which has been ravaged by Cyclone Amphan that killed at least 72 people and left a trail of destruction in the state. A day after the extremely severe cyclonic storm rolled past the Odisha coast and made landfall in the Sunderbans, Patnaik expressed deep grief at the loss of lives and massive damage to property caused by the calamity in West Bengal. He directed the chief secretary to remain in touch with his West Bengal counterpart and ensure all possible assistance to the neighbouring state, an official statement issued by the chief minister's office said. "The people of Odisha stand with the people of West Bengal at this hour of crisis," Patnaik said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday visit West Bengal to review the afternath of cyclone Amphan. He will arrive at the Kolkata International airport at 10 am. State BJP President Dilip Ghosh, and other State Leaders will receive him.
In her press brief today, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that two districts of the state-- North and South Parganas were completely destroyed as Cyclone Amphan tore into West Bengal. Kolkata remains the worst affected with trees uprooted, electrical poles broken and houses damaged.
Among the 72 killed across West Bengal, 15 were reported from Kolkata. The fiercest cyclone to hit West Bengal in 100 years destroyed mud houses and crops, and uprooted trees and electric poles. It also wreaked havoc in Odisha damaging power and telecom infrastructure in several coastal districts. Odisha government officials estimated it has affected around 44.8 lakh people in the state.
The restoration work requires high risk activities and high skill levels, our trained personnel are continuing the work despite the challenges, we are committed to undertake the work, in coordination with states. We will provide all needed assistance by the states, said the NDRF chief.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took an aerial survey of districts affected by the Cyclone Amaphan in the state. The damages caused in state is limited to agriculutre, said the state officials.