How the devastating Cyclone ‘Amphan’ destroyed my city.

By Arka Naskar

The Cyclone Amphan, which hit the eastern coast of India and Bangladesh in May 2020, caused widespread damage and destruction, particularly in the city of Kolkata. The storm, which was the strongest to hit the region in over a decade, left a trail of devastation, claiming the lives of over 80 people and causing immense damage to the city's infrastructure and economy.

The impact of the cyclone on Kolkata was particularly severe, The devastation caused by the Amphan Cyclone was a result of a combination of strong winds and heavy rainfall. The high-speed winds knocked down trees, power lines, and hoardings, damaging several buildings in the process. The storm surges caused by the cyclone resulted in severe flooding in many low-lying areas, making the situation worse. The city's residents were left without power for several days, with many also facing shortages of water and food. The storm surge also caused significant damage to the city's iconic landmarks and historical buildings, including the Howrah Bridge and the Victoria Memorial.

The the day was very horrific as you can see ceilings of houses were breaking down wires were hair people were getting electrocuted water tanks were getting flown away from distances from their place. Now my town Baruipur is a very green town to be very precise as it is surrounded by greenery and the place I live in it's basically a countryside when this whole cyclone came in came with rush of destruction, I can see large trees which destroyed ponds, agricultural fields fishes were going here and their animals were getting killed because of this whole cyclone it became deadly atmosphere that we couldn’t imagine but after the strom was gone there was no electricity for 4 days people were there without water.

The Amphan Cyclone caused significant damage to Kolkata's infrastructure, including the transportation system. The city's airport was closed, and train services were suspended. Many roads were blocked due to fallen trees and debris, making it difficult for emergency services to reach the affected areas.

The cyclone also had a significant impact on the economy of Kolkata. Many small businesses and shops were destroyed, and the livelihoods of thousands of people were affected. The city's tourism industry was also severely affected as many tourist attractions were damaged, and visitors were unable to access the city.

In the aftermath of the Amphan Cyclone, there has been a renewed focus on improving the city's infrastructure and disaster preparedness. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has announced plans to strengthen the city's drainage systems and to plant more trees to help prevent future flooding. The city's transport authorities have also announced plans to improve the resilience of the transport network to better withstand extreme weather events.

The Amphan Cyclone caused widespread destruction in Kolkata, with the southern parts of the city being the most affected. The cyclone highlighted the need for better disaster management and preparedness in the city, as well as the importance of a robust infrastructure that can withstand such disasters.