When the cyclone Amphan had started concentrating in the Indian Ocean, Bangladesh had no time to waste. But the shelters in this country have not been built with the issue of social distancing in mind. As a result, the country has had to face a big challenge.
The biggest challenge in evacuating people from disaster prone areas is time. People do not want to leave their homes unprotected. This time the challenge was more complicated. People were afraid to go to the shelter in fear of the coronavirus.
In a short span of time, 4,171 shelters as well as about 10,500 additional shelters were set up in Bangladesh so that everyone could be evacuated while maintaining social distancing. During this time, more than 70,000 volunteers gathered around the coast to prepare for the cyclone. Masks, water, soap and hand sanitizer was distributed among all. In this case, the garment industry has helped by producing personal protective equipment.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have previously reported that abnormally warm water temperatures in the Atlantic and Caribbean regions could set a record for this year's cyclone.
Cyclone Amphan has killed less than 100 people in India and Bangladesh. It is said that over the years, Bangladesh's early warning system and great rescue work have saved thousands of lives. Bangladesh has risen again in the context of cyclones many times in the past. Two-thirds of the land in Bangladesh, which is at risk of tropical storms, is located less than 5 meters above sea level. As a result reconstruction in this country is not a very difficult task. However, as the cyclone intensified, sea levels rose and water wells and crops became toxic. As a result pandemics and cyclones, the present government of Bangladesh had to deal with health, climate and economic emergencies together.
The most expensive cyclone on record in the North Indian Ocean is Amphan. And the estimated amount of destruction is 13 billion US dollars. The cyclone slapped adverse effect on 415 km of roads, 200 bridges, thousands of houses, large tracts of land and fish enclosures in Bangladesh. More than 150 km of embankments were damaged to maintain the intensity of the storm.
In 2014, Bangladesh was better restructured to make the climate financial structure work. Subsequently, in 2017, the Eighth Century Climate Adaptation Plan was developed for the 30 million deltaic inhabitants of the Delta region. The first decade of which is the Delta Plan 2100, whose main goal is to strengthen the structure, such as the construction of high-rise buildings. Schools, hospitals and homes need to be made stronger and stronger in the aftermath of cyclone Amphan so that it can act against cyclones.
Covid-19 had a major negative impact on the financial condition of governments around the world. However, it is hoped that the long-term financial structure and climate adaptation plan will enable each country to respond well to any natural disaster. Health, economic and climate change are interrelated.
This year Bangladesh is not the only the country fighting a health, economic and climate crisis. In that case, international cooperation is very important. It is possible to gain more perseverance by learning success stories from every country in the world and supporting each other.