The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) expresses it’s sincere prayers and sympathies at the loss of life and livestock caused by the Cyclone Amphan which over the past few days have hit parts of Odisha and West Bengal.
The cyclone, which weakened into a depression on Friday, was further reduced to a well-marked low-pressure area over North Bangladesh and the neighboring area. The cyclone hit Bengal and Odisha at a time when it is already struggling to fight the transmission of the novel coronavirus and the return of the migrants to their homes in West Bengal.
Timely intervention by the West Bengal government in evacuating lakhs of people from low lying areas has resulted in the death of only 80 people. Over 60 % of life has been affected in West Bengal with entire villages being devastated. Roads and electricity remain cut off in major parts of West Bengal and over 5000 trees have fallen due to gusty winds and heavy rains. Officials are working round the clock to restore normalcy.
The Centre and States of Odisha and West Bengal are working in close collaboration to bring about relief and restore life to normalcy. A United Nations Country Team in India has termed Cyclone Amphan even more destructive than Cyclone Aila which caused widespread damage in the same region of Eastern India and Southern Bangladesh in 2009.
The CBCI is one with the suffering people of Odisha and West Bengal. It calls upon all Civic and Church authorities to reach out to help bring relief to all those affected by this cyclone. In our prayers we remember all those affected by this cyclone, the COVID 19, and all those migrants who are still on their way home.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias
Archbishop of Bombay
And
President, CBCI
23rd May 2020
