Amidst the second wave of the Covid Pandemic, a super cyclone named Yaas hit West Bengal on 26 May. With the memory of the devastation caused by super cyclone Amphan last year still fresh in the mind, Calcutta Rescue had prepared well.
The team purchased 500kg of plastic sheets which was cut up to provide roofing 150 families. There was also plenty of dry food rations and medicines available which could be sent out to those in need in the aftermath.
An Emergency Relief team was created under Debu, the head of Calcutta Rescue street medicine team. As the cyclone approached Debu said: “I am in contact with my two supervisors constantly. Our Community Health Workers in each slum area are in contact with us. They will notify us of any damage and we will be there with support.”
“We have also created a relief team for the damage control in the aftermath of the cyclone. Our vehicles are ready. They will be moving around our slum areas providing emergency services.”
Luckily Yaas did not cause anywhere near as much damage in Kolkata as Amphan – although there was extensive flooding in the Sunderbans and coastal areas. Four vehicles went out to check on the situation immediately after the storm armed with medicines, nutrition and plastic sheeting. Only a handful of beneficiaries had their homes damaged and these were given plastic sheeting.
