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The super cyclonic storm Amphan, that made landfall on 20 May in West Bengal and Odisha, left both states adversely affected. The Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta, also known as Sundarbans, has been left ravaged.
I decided to visit medical relief camps across three locations in the Sundarbans on 2 June with my father, who is a government service doctor, to meet people worst affected by the cyclone. We donated clothes, medicines, and food supplies.
We first reached Krishnachandrapur, where we met with Chandan Maity, the headmaster of Krishnachandrapur High School. People were waiting for hours, some for days, just to have access to a doctor since all roads to Kolkata, the nearest city, were cut off due to the cyclone.
“About 70 percent people have lost their homes. People are homeless now because of fallen trees and roof of tiles, asbestos.”Chandan Maity
As the doctors got busy treating villagers, I decided to go around and meet some people. As I went further south towards Kuchidi, the destruction only seemed to get worse.
“Our roof was blown off. Our already broken earthen walls which were held together by tarpaulin is now broken along with another wall.”Sarada Chakraborty
Patharpratima was the last village I visited. I met Maya, a local, who held my hand and took me to her house to show me how bad it was damaged. She said she lost everything and broke down in tears. At that moment, all I could do was offer some money but even that would not have helped immediately. What she really needed was food, tarpaulin, and clothes for her kids.
“We didn’t eat anything for two days. We couldn’t cook. We couldn’t do anything. Everything was just muddy.”Maya
By the time we reached Patharpratima village, we were out of the supplies we had carried from Kolkata and I felt even more helpless. I ended up giving everything I had including a scarf and jacket I was wearing.
The women and children were the worse affected. In the initial two days after the cyclone hit, they only survived on water.
I asked Mr Chandan Maity about the essentials that were required and he quickly said, ‘Baby food, dry food, medicines and tarpaulin.’
I plan to visit the villages again around mid-June and take all the basic essentials and the stuff they need.
In these dark times, it is crucial for us to come together as a community and help these people, whether it's by donating, volunteering, or both.
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