The Devastating Aftermath
Tropical Cyclone Remal has left a trail of destruction in its wake, particularly in the districts of North and South 24 Parganas in West Bengal and the north-eastern states of Mizoram, Assam and Meghalaya. Beginning as a deep depression, Cyclone Remal rapidly intensified into a full-fledged cyclone by the evening of May 25. With devastating wind speeds ranging from 90 to 120 kilometres per hour, Cyclone Remal made landfall on May 26 approximately 80 kilometres southeast of Kolkata. By the morning of May 27, it had ravaged the coastal regions of Bangladesh and West Bengal.
Cyclone Remal’s impact has been most devastating in the northeast, where at least 33 people have died following the strong winds and storms, which have caused landslides, building collapse, and disruptions to the power and water supply. Nearly 500 houses have been damaged by flooding as heavy rainfall continues to ravage the region.
In North 24 Parganas, 7,500 families in 23 villages including Bongaon, Bagda, and Hasnabad have been severely impacted. 257 kutcha houses have been destroyed. In the traditional housing styles in rural India, toilets and latrines are often separate from the home; in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal, 150 bathrooms and latrines have been ruined in North Parganas. In the district over 25,000 people have been displaced and are currently living in cyclone shelters. In South 24 Parganas,19 villages housing 5,600 families have been devastated, 110 houses and 90 bathrooms and latrines were destroyed, and power and water supply to both districts has been compromised. In South 24 Parganas, 50,000 individuals have been forcibly displaced by Cyclone Remal.
Urgent Support Needed
Residents of the affected regions are in urgent need of dry ration supplies, water purification, sanitation, and hygiene facilities, and shelter and non-food item support. ActionAid Association is beginning to distribute food, water purification, sanitation, and hygiene kits, and shelter and other essential non-food items to impacted families.
Our response
Following Cyclone Remal, the ActionAid Association’s West Bengal Office swiftly responded by providing aid to the most severely affected families across three blocks in North 24 Parganas. This included Tangra, Bena, Mahishpukur Jaigram, and Taragopal Villages in Hasnabad Block; Ashura, Bagda, Nowadapara, Sagarpur, and Jiala Villages in Bagda Block; and Kalupur and Panchpota Sivhpur Villages in Bongaon Block. A total of 350 families received crucial support in the form of tarpaulins and hygiene kits. Many homes were either fully or partially destroyed, making this assistance invaluable. The hygiene kits, which included essential items such as soap, toothbrushes, sanitary napkins, bath towels, and washing powder, were particularly vital for these families to begin rebuilding their lives. Such essentials are indispensable for daily life and are difficult for vulnerable families to procure immediately following such disasters. Additionally, 150 more families were also provided with hygiene kits to meet their immediate needs.
