Wednesday May 20, 2020

Cyclone Amphan, the strongest cyclone to form in two decades in the Bay of Bengal, made landfall on Wednesday, May 20 near Sagar Island in West Bengal, India, not far from the border of Bangladesh at around 5:00 p.m. local time (7:00 a.m. EST). 

According to CNN (as of May 21, 8:32 a.m.), more than 80 people have been killed and thousands more left homeless. Evacuation efforts seemed to have saved many lives, but it could take days to realize the full extent of deaths, injuries, and damage from the storm.

With teams already on the ground in Bangladesh and India, Humanity & Inclusion is closely monitoring developments, and considering a possible emergency response. Experts stand ready to assist the most vulnerable people, including those with disabilities, new injuries from the storm, older people and more generally people who are displaced from their homes.

COVID-19

The coronavirus made it difficult to evacuate millions of Indians and Bangladeshis to temporary shelters. Bangladesh opened more than 13,000 cyclone shelters—nearly triple the usual amount—to keep them less crowded. Evacuees must wear masks inside and maintain physical distance.

Protecting the most vulnerable

We are particularly concerned about our beneficiaries—people with disabilities, older people, people with chronic illnesses, and vulnerable individuals. We're especially worried for individuals and families living in refugee camps, where staying safe from a storm like Amphan, and not catching a virus like COVID-19, is extremely challenging.

Humanity & Inclusion is in close contact with our partners and teams on the ground in Bangladesh and India, and hope they can all stay safe while protecting themselves, their families, and HI beneficiaries from both emergencies. 

Photo caption: Satellite image of Cyclone Amphan on May 18, 2020. Credit: Cyclocane

Fayaz, 7, is a survivor. Four years ago, he and his big sister, Simran, were playing close to their home in war-torn Kashmir when she found an object she thought was a ball. Simran bent down to pick it up and an explosion rang out.

At Handwara Degree College, in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, tensions are running high on the cricket pitch. The Baramulla Tigers are playing against the Kupwara Tigers in the region’s first ever-inclusive cricket match featuring both players with and without disabilities. 

Cradled in her father’s arms, Rukiya, 6, pulls on her socks and adjusts her small artificial legs. She is concentrating very hard, trying to gain her balance. She is learning how to walk for the very first time. Burn marks on her amputated lower limbs hint at the terrible trauma she experienced when she was just one year old. 

In 2003, Parveena and Bashira Ahmed were returning from their rice plantation in Kashmir, India with their four-year-old daughter, Shaista. Suddenly, a truck came hurtling down the road and plowed into Shaista. She was immediately taken to hospital in Srinagar, where the doctors prepared her family for the worst: “She won’t live,” they said. She had seven operations on her head, neck, arm, and leg. She begged them to inject poison into her leg to kill her and end the pain. The doctors refused to give up. A week later, Shaista left hospital alive, but her right arm and left leg had been amputated.

In the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, Handicap International worked to help vulnerable Indonesians, Sri Lankans and Indians affected by the large-scale disaster. Ten years later, the organization continues its work there, and has considerably developed its disaster risk management experience.

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