Cyclone "Amphan": More than 80 dead in India and Bangladesh

The cyclone hit India and Bangladesh in the middle of the corona pandemic. Many areas are devastated after the violent hurricane. More than 80 people have died

• A cyclone  "Amphan" has hit India and Bangladesh. More than 80 people have died.
• More than three  million people seek shelter in emergency shelters. 
• The violent hurricane has left Corona * times a trail of devastation.

Update of May 21, 1:33 pm : The cyclone "Amphan" has cost the lives of more than 80 people in India and Bangladesh. In the particularly affected northeastern state of West Bengal, 72 people were killed, the head of government said on Thursday.

Cyclone Amphan: Videos show trace of devastation 

Update of May 21, 9:39 am : The violent cyclone "Amphan" has killed at least 22 people in India and Bangladesh. They died, for example, from collapsing houses or falling trees, as the competent authorities said. In large parts of the city of Kolkata, with a population of 15 million, in north-east India, the electricity failed. The city's airport was completely flooded with overturned electricity pylons and overturned cars. Videos and photos on social media show dramatic images.

#Kolkata airport after the devastation caused by #CycloneAmphan pic.twitter.com/SpbdZuH6ki

According to the head of government of the affected northeastern state of West Bengal, the disaster was bigger than Corona and it took three or four days to assess the full extent of the damage. According to the Indian meteorological service, the storm brought wind speeds of up to 185 kilometers per hour and a lot of rain and thunderstorms.

West Bengal: A portion of Kolkata Airport flooded in wake of #CycloneAmphan. (ANI) pic.twitter.com/PvPgjnebp3

Cyclone Amphan hits India and Bangladesh with full force

Update from May 20, 3:16 p.m .: Cyclone "Amphan" reached the mainland in India and Bangladesh with a lot of wind and rain . It takes about four hours until the cyclone is completely on land, the meteorological service in India announced on Wednesday afternoon (local time). “Amphan” is one of the worst storms in the region in the past 20 years. As a precautionary measure, more than three million people have been placed in emergency shelters , most of them in Bangladesh , as a precaution . Previously, there were talk of more than two million evacuees.

The power of the wind and rain is indeed frightening! Just look at the falling vehicle and the electric tower! #CycloneAmphan pic.twitter.com/RTUMciF3RW

Syper cyclone has reached the mainland - evacuation is difficult due to corona

As expected , Corona makes evacuation even more difficult than usual . "Usually, in front of such a mega-cyclone, hundreds of people in buses and trucks are evacuated together into large public buildings such as schools or gyms," said aid coordinator Felix Neuhaus from AWO International. "However, it is now hardly feasible if the distance rules are adhered to." Even before the cyclone arrived, the aid organization Save the Children said that people would not primarily think of social distancing when it came to safety bring. 

Cyclone "Amphan" in India and Bangladesh: People are crowded in the emergency shelters. 

© dpa / Abu Sufian Jewel

Syper Cyclone Approaches India and Bangladesh - Evacuation Ordered

First report from May 20th, 11.07am:

New Delhi / Dhaka - wind speeds of up to 185 km / h , waves up to 15 meters high and a lot of rain - this is currently threatening more than two million people in India and Bangladesh . Cyclone "Amphan" is moving towards the two countries and, according to the Indian Meteorological Service, has been one of the worst storms in the region in the past 20 years. The endangered people are now to be brought to emergency shelters. 

Super cyclone is said to hit the coast of West Bengal and Bangladesh - millions of people in danger

According to weather forecasts from both countries, the storm will hit the mainland between the east Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh on Wednesday afternoon (local time) . The first pictures were already on the Internet on Wednesday morning in Central European time - and they show threatening conditions.

Super cyclone AMPHAN has reached the coast of India with gusts of over 200 kilometers per hour. During the day the hurricane moves further north to Calcutta. More in the WetterTicker: https://t.co/Q2aq5DuIz5 pic.twitter.com/MEpKiG4FgK

The whirlwind is said to affect densely populated cities such as Kolkata (15 million inhabitants), coastal regions with numerous poorly built huts and the Rohingya refugee camp with more than one million inhabitants. In addition, authorities in both countries assume that tracks, roads and telecommunication masts will be destroyed. Because they feared for their belongings, some people would not have wanted to leave their homes despite the danger. 

The large evacuation is further complicated by the corona crisis . The authorities of India and Bangladesh have reported that they have provided more emergency shelters than usual in comparable storms to keep their distance *. Currently empty schools or government buildings are also used. However, it was difficult to find more buildings, as some emergency shelters were currently used as quarantine * buildings or temporary accommodations for stranded migrant workers. Masks * and disinfectants * would be distributed in the facilities. 

According to Indian civil protection, the Syper cyclone is a double challenge in Corona times

In a village in West Bengal, people prepare for the cyclone by building protective walls . "We fill sand in sacks and use it to build a dam to keep the sea water out of our place," said a villager the day before, according to a newsreel report, to TV journalists from the Reuters news agency. Another villager said that she fled to a collective shelter because she "didn't want to stay in our house in the middle of the storm with fear". 

In India and Bangladesh, villagers are evacuated due to the hurricane. 

© dpa / Mehaboob Gazi

The super cyclone is a double challenge right now , said SN Pradhan, head of national civil protection in India, according to the Tagesschau report . “For the first time, we have to deal with two disasters at the same time . Infections from the corona virus in India are still increasing. And now the cyclone is coming towards us, in the midst of the Covid 19 crisis. ”

Cyclones occur repeatedly in the Gulf of Bengal and in some cases they cost many lives and cause great damage. In 1999, around 10,000 people died in a large cyclone . Experts believe that wind strength has tended to increase in recent years due to climate change. In recent years, however, the number of victims has generally been smaller, as there are now more good emergency shelters and evacuation plans. 

In Germany's other parts of Europe a storm also hit the ground a few weeks ago. "Sabine" caused numerous damages and temporarily paralyzed the infrastructure. But it cannot be compared to the cyclone that is currently raging across India. 

By the way: You can also read about how storms, cyclones and hurricanes differ at Merkur.de *.

cia with dpa material

* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network. 

Rubric list image: © AFP / DIBYANGSHU SARKAR