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After Aila Cyclone

 
 

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Published: Monday 31 May 2010
What the Indian Meteorological  Department failed to communicate, the elders sensed immediately and  warned their people of a potential cyclonePhotographs by –  Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majority World

What the Indian Meteorological Department failed to communicate, the elders sensed immediately and warned their people of a potential cyclonePhotographs by – Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majority World

Gosaba, Sunderban, West Bengal,  IndiaA crashed wooden frame and crumbling walls is what they  have left of their homes. But many are coming back to claim what is  rightfully theirs, be it a few posters off their walls. In times of  disaster, everything is a potential resource—laminated posters are handy  materials to wrap food in and keep it from contaminating. Photographs   by - Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majorityworld

Gosaba, Sunderban, West Bengal, IndiaA crashed wooden frame and crumbling walls is what they have left of their homes. But many are coming back to claim what is rightfully theirs, be it a few posters off their walls. In times of disaster, everything is a potential resource—laminated posters are handy materials to wrap food in and keep it from contaminating. Photographs by - Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majorityworld

The district officials argue that it will  be difficult to reach relief to everyone. Cyclone Aila has disrupted the usual  routes of contact and the remoteness of certain islands does not help. Already,  troubled by an erratic climate and a rising sea level, the absence of strategy  and effort by the state, heighten the insecurity felt by the people of Sunderban  IslandsPhotographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority  World

The district officials argue that it will be difficult to reach relief to everyone. Cyclone Aila has disrupted the usual routes of contact and the remoteness of certain islands does not help. Already, troubled by an erratic climate and a rising sea level, the absence of strategy and effort by the state, heighten the insecurity felt by the people of Sunderban IslandsPhotographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

Amlamethi, Sunderban, West  Bengal, India They have managed to survive this one but will  they manage to adapt to other disasters that seem to be in the offing?Cyclone  Aila is not the biggest thing that has hit them yet. They had coped  with Sidr in 2007 and Nargis in 2008, both hit the coast at speeds twice  than that of Aila. But cyclone Aila was a more intense affair. It  spent a lot of time getting agitated on the sea and what it lost in  speed it retained in intensity. Higher sea surface temperatures also  helped

Amlamethi, Sunderban, West Bengal, India They have managed to survive this one but will they manage to adapt to other disasters that seem to be in the offing?Cyclone Aila is not the biggest thing that has hit them yet. They had coped with Sidr in 2007 and Nargis in 2008, both hit the coast at speeds twice than that of Aila. But cyclone Aila was a more intense affair. It spent a lot of time getting agitated on the sea and what it lost in speed it retained in intensity. Higher sea surface temperatures also helped

Borotushkali, Sunderbans, West Bengal 1,80, 000  homes were destroyed by cyclone Aila. People will soon begun returning but how  will they rebuild their lives?The state has asked for a relief package  of 1000 crores from the Central government. It is still to plan, how the aid  will reach the peoplePhotographs by – Bijoy Chowdhury/ DRIK/ Majority  World

Borotushkali, Sunderbans, West Bengal 1,80, 000 homes were destroyed by cyclone Aila. People will soon begun returning but how will they rebuild their lives?The state has asked for a relief package of 1000 crores from the Central government. It is still to plan, how the aid will reach the peoplePhotographs by – Bijoy Chowdhury/ DRIK/ Majority World

Cyclone Aila was here. This is the  floating evidence. One million people have lost their homes. This is just a  rough estimate. Their numbers could be more. If they want to migrate to safety,  can the mainland accommodate this exodus? Photographs by - Bijoy  Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority world

Cyclone Aila was here. This is the floating evidence. One million people have lost their homes. This is just a rough estimate. Their numbers could be more. If they want to migrate to safety, can the mainland accommodate this exodus? Photographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority world

People jostle for space as they wait for  relief. Water is gushing in and the land in Sunderban islands is slowly giving  way to the sea. It is already getting crowded. Sunderban delta could see the  first major migration of climate change refugees Photographs by  Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

People jostle for space as they wait for relief. Water is gushing in and the land in Sunderban islands is slowly giving way to the sea. It is already getting crowded. Sunderban delta could see the first major migration of climate change refugees Photographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

Khulna, Sunderban, West Bengal Most of them have  lost their homes to Cyclone Aila. Now, they lurch forward to catch relief  supplies. As caught in the picture, the ratio of the supplies to the people is  abysmally low. The administration took its time to react and a Sunday in  between— government holiday — cut into the officials time to manage and dispatch  relief Photographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority  world

Khulna, Sunderban, West Bengal Most of them have lost their homes to Cyclone Aila. Now, they lurch forward to catch relief supplies. As caught in the picture, the ratio of the supplies to the people is abysmally low. The administration took its time to react and a Sunday in between— government holiday — cut into the officials time to manage and dispatch relief Photographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority world

Amlamethi, Sunderban, West  Bengal, India A boy looks curiously at something while the  elders have more important matters at hand—women quickly whisk away dry  wood, a commodity not easy to come by in the damp squalor left behind by  Aila. Will the wood be used to light a stove or a pyre, we will  never know? Photographs  by - Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/  Majorityworld

Amlamethi, Sunderban, West Bengal, India A boy looks curiously at something while the elders have more important matters at hand—women quickly whisk away dry wood, a commodity not easy to come by in the damp squalor left behind by Aila. Will the wood be used to light a stove or a pyre, we will never know? Photographs by - Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majorityworld

Close to a million are living in the  open, dependant on an outsider's help for basic necessities. The government  responds by distributing 7177 bags of rice, 640 bags of pulses. Has Sunderbans  been giving the Census of India a slip or has the government grossly under  estimated the 'numbers' in need of assistance? Photographs by Nilayan  Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

Close to a million are living in the open, dependant on an outsider's help for basic necessities. The government responds by distributing 7177 bags of rice, 640 bags of pulses. Has Sunderbans been giving the Census of India a slip or has the government grossly under estimated the 'numbers' in need of assistance? Photographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

Amlamethi, Sunderban, West  Bengal, India The official counts of death are way off their  mark. The district officials are out of sync with ground zero reality.  With people accorded such treatment, livestock count take a back seat. Not  for those whose livelihoods depend on them. Many wanted to save their  cows. Just to get them transported to safety they were willing to give  them away for free and Photographs  by - Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/  Majorityworld

Amlamethi, Sunderban, West Bengal, India The official counts of death are way off their mark. The district officials are out of sync with ground zero reality. With people accorded such treatment, livestock count take a back seat. Not for those whose livelihoods depend on them. Many wanted to save their cows. Just to get them transported to safety they were willing to give them away for free and Photographs by - Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majorityworld

Gosaba, Sunderban, West Bengal,  IndiaShe stands next to a broken embankment and waits for  relief. The 3,500-kilometer embankment has more than 800 points of  critical breach and a 400-kilometer stretch has completely washed away. Late  in delivering relief supplies to many, the district administration is  miles away from repairing the embankments. Meanwhile, people make ad-hoc  efforts to plug the embankments with sand. More sturdy material —  sandbags, bamboo, concrete (?) are not available

Gosaba, Sunderban, West Bengal, IndiaShe stands next to a broken embankment and waits for relief. The 3,500-kilometer embankment has more than 800 points of critical breach and a 400-kilometer stretch has completely washed away. Late in delivering relief supplies to many, the district administration is miles away from repairing the embankments. Meanwhile, people make ad-hoc efforts to plug the embankments with sand. More sturdy material — sandbags, bamboo, concrete (?) are not available

Khulna, Sunderbans, West Bengal  Can I get some too, please. Boats carrying relief supplies bring  some cheer but there may not be enough for everyonePhotographs by –  Bijoy Chowdhury/ DRIK/ Majority World

Khulna, Sunderbans, West Bengal Can I get some too, please. Boats carrying relief supplies bring some cheer but there may not be enough for everyonePhotographs by – Bijoy Chowdhury/ DRIK/ Majority World

Khulna, sunderban, West Bengal,  IndiaDesperate times are no excuse to forget order. People stand in  queue to receive aid. The Cyclone hit them on May 25th and they are seeing the  relief boats for the first time, a week laterPhotographs by - Bijoy  Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority world

Khulna, sunderban, West Bengal, IndiaDesperate times are no excuse to forget order. People stand in queue to receive aid. The Cyclone hit them on May 25th and they are seeing the relief boats for the first time, a week laterPhotographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority world

A harmonium can be very heavy to carry while trying to  escape mountain high waves. It must be very special to someone  Photographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

A harmonium can be very heavy to carry while trying to escape mountain high waves. It must be very special to someone Photographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

Borotushkhali, Sunderban, West Bengal,  IndiaThe gods have gone crazy in this part of the world. This is a view  of a home ravaged recently by Cyclone Aila. The sea around these people  is rising, they are losing their meager land holdings to erosion and now the  climate is turning rogue, it has become difficult to predict its next move.  Meanwhile, people have resigned to living one day at a time  Photographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority  world

Borotushkhali, Sunderban, West Bengal, IndiaThe gods have gone crazy in this part of the world. This is a view of a home ravaged recently by Cyclone Aila. The sea around these people is rising, they are losing their meager land holdings to erosion and now the climate is turning rogue, it has become difficult to predict its next move. Meanwhile, people have resigned to living one day at a time Photographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority world

An exposed body and a stripped home. The  paraphernalia that connects the two sits huddled, covered in tarpaulin, facing  an uncertain futurePhotographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority  World

An exposed body and a stripped home. The paraphernalia that connects the two sits huddled, covered in tarpaulin, facing an uncertain futurePhotographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

Amlamethi,  Sunderban, West Bengal, India Embankments break and the sea  intrudes into the lives of those who stand abandoned by both state and  god. CPI (M), the political party in power did not get a popular mandate  from the people, here. It has chosen this moment to get even.  Political will and relief supply are both less than adequatePhotographs   by - Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majorityworld

Amlamethi, Sunderban, West Bengal, India Embankments break and the sea intrudes into the lives of those who stand abandoned by both state and god. CPI (M), the political party in power did not get a popular mandate from the people, here. It has chosen this moment to get even. Political will and relief supply are both less than adequatePhotographs by - Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majorityworld

Amlamethi,  Sunderban, West Bengal, India.His family just about managed to  salvage the bare few essentials — some pots and pans to store drinking  water and a tarpaulin sheet to cover their heads. Cyclone Aila  turned close to a million, homeless, overnight. The disaster-hit  refugees have taken to living in the open in temporary shelters. Many  villages have relocated to boats. As people continue floating towards an  uncertain future, one can only guess, what he thinks…is he missing home  or contemplating the awful force of  nature

Amlamethi, Sunderban, West Bengal, India.His family just about managed to salvage the bare few essentials — some pots and pans to store drinking water and a tarpaulin sheet to cover their heads. Cyclone Aila turned close to a million, homeless, overnight. The disaster-hit refugees have taken to living in the open in temporary shelters. Many villages have relocated to boats. As people continue floating towards an uncertain future, one can only guess, what he thinks…is he missing home or contemplating the awful force of nature

Jhupkali, Sunderbans, West Bengal  1,80, 000 homes were destroyed by cyclone Aila. People will soon begun  returning but how will they rebuild their lives?The state has asked for  a relief package of 1000 crores from the Central government. It is still to  plan, how the aid will reach the people Photographs by – Bijoy  Chowdhury/ DRIK/ Majority World

Jhupkali, Sunderbans, West Bengal 1,80, 000 homes were destroyed by cyclone Aila. People will soon begun returning but how will they rebuild their lives?The state has asked for a relief package of 1000 crores from the Central government. It is still to plan, how the aid will reach the people Photographs by – Bijoy Chowdhury/ DRIK/ Majority World

Borotushkali, Sunderban, West Bengal,  India Their frustration never moves beyond their mute lips. Their voice  never reaches the right ears. Mostly a milked for political gains, Sunderbans  has been deserted by her elected government in her hour of  needPhotographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority  world

Borotushkali, Sunderban, West Bengal, India Their frustration never moves beyond their mute lips. Their voice never reaches the right ears. Mostly a milked for political gains, Sunderbans has been deserted by her elected government in her hour of needPhotographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority world

Waiting for the waters to recede. It may  take a while. In the meantime, most of the land may become too saline for the  coming agriculture seasonPhotographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/  Majority World

Waiting for the waters to recede. It may take a while. In the meantime, most of the land may become too saline for the coming agriculture seasonPhotographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

Jhupkali, Sunderban, West Bengal, IndiaChildren jump  into the river for food. Nimble footed and agile, they are the first to reach  the boats carrying relief supplies Photographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury /  DRIK/ Majority world

Jhupkali, Sunderban, West Bengal, IndiaChildren jump into the river for food. Nimble footed and agile, they are the first to reach the boats carrying relief supplies Photographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority world

Carcasses -both human and animal- are  still seen floating around. Most of the water is contaminated and clean water is  hard to come by. Authorities fear an outbreak of water borne diseases. It may  have taken this boy a good part of the day to fill that jug, hopefully with  clean waterPhotographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority  World

Carcasses -both human and animal- are still seen floating around. Most of the water is contaminated and clean water is hard to come by. Authorities fear an outbreak of water borne diseases. It may have taken this boy a good part of the day to fill that jug, hopefully with clean waterPhotographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

A little  space nudged out for a kitchen – some reassuring order amidst the chaos  that surrounds her Photographs by – Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/  Majority World

A little space nudged out for a kitchen – some reassuring order amidst the chaos that surrounds her Photographs by – Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majority World

Amlamethi, Sunderban, West Bengal, India.Next to the wide expanse of Bay of Bengal sit the defeated patches of agricultural landÔÇö now, pools of saline water. Cyclone Aila washed in a lot of seawater and it may take 4 years of strong rainfall to wring all that salt from the landÔÇÖs crust. An easier fix was possible if the district officials had not held out on providing pump sets, which could have been used to flush out the seawater. Till then, crops may fail and debts will mountPhotographs by - Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majorityworld

Amlamethi, Sunderban, West Bengal, India.Next to the wide expanse of Bay of Bengal sit the defeated patches of agricultural landÔÇö now, pools of saline water. Cyclone Aila washed in a lot of seawater and it may take 4 years of strong rainfall to wring all that salt from the landÔÇÖs crust. An easier fix was possible if the district officials had not held out on providing pump sets, which could have been used to flush out the seawater. Till then, crops may fail and debts will mountPhotographs by - Prasanta Biswas/ DRIK/ Majorityworld

Manipur, Sunderbans, West  Bengal1,80, 000 homes were destroyed by cyclone Aila. People will soon  begun returning but how will they rebuild their lives?The state has  asked for a relief package of 1000 crores from the Central government. It is  still to plan, how the aid will reach the people Photographs by –  Bijoy Chowdhury/ DRIK/ Majority World

Manipur, Sunderbans, West Bengal1,80, 000 homes were destroyed by cyclone Aila. People will soon begun returning but how will they rebuild their lives?The state has asked for a relief package of 1000 crores from the Central government. It is still to plan, how the aid will reach the people Photographs by – Bijoy Chowdhury/ DRIK/ Majority World

Borotushkali, Sunderbans, West Bengal 1,80, 000  homes were destroyed by cyclone Aila. People will soon begun returning but how  will they rebuild their lives?The state has asked for a relief package  of 1000 crores from the Central government. It is still to plan, how the aid  will reach the peoplePhotographs by – Bijoy Chowdhury/ DRIK/ Majority  World

Borotushkali, Sunderbans, West Bengal 1,80, 000 homes were destroyed by cyclone Aila. People will soon begun returning but how will they rebuild their lives?The state has asked for a relief package of 1000 crores from the Central government. It is still to plan, how the aid will reach the peoplePhotographs by – Bijoy Chowdhury/ DRIK/ Majority World

Sarbaria, Sunderban, West Bengal, IndiaCyclone Aila  in its wake left behind a trail of death but strengthened the resolve of the  living to survive. A man continues to fish while another lies dead. In  the confusion and mayhem unleashed on the people by Aila, people are losing  count of their loved ones and bodies are piling. With no quick and efficient  means of disposing them in sight, disease outbreaks are waiting to happen.  Symptoms of Cholera have already been spotted Photographs by - Bijoy  Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority world

Sarbaria, Sunderban, West Bengal, IndiaCyclone Aila in its wake left behind a trail of death but strengthened the resolve of the living to survive. A man continues to fish while another lies dead. In the confusion and mayhem unleashed on the people by Aila, people are losing count of their loved ones and bodies are piling. With no quick and efficient means of disposing them in sight, disease outbreaks are waiting to happen. Symptoms of Cholera have already been spotted Photographs by - Bijoy Chowdhury / DRIK/ Majority world

Bamboo sticks become quick fixes for  broken embankments. Their techniques may appear primitive but people didn't have  time to deliberate, strategise and delay action. State officials can do  thatPhotographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority  World

Bamboo sticks become quick fixes for broken embankments. Their techniques may appear primitive but people didn't have time to deliberate, strategise and delay action. State officials can do thatPhotographs by Nilayan Dutta / DRIK/ Majority World

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