85 killed in West Bengal amphan hurricane, fierce protests for electricity

New Delhi, 23rd May 2020 Saturday

Hurricane Amphan shook the whole of West Bengal, as well as Odisha. In the midst of this situation, the death toll from the hurricane has now risen to nine. People, on the other hand, are facing severe difficulties in getting electricity and water supply. So they took to the streets and protested. Thousands were left homeless by the storm.

According to official figures, the storm has affected about 13 million people and destroyed one million houses. Electricity and mobile connections were started in some departments in Kolkata but power was cut off in many areas. Several places in Kolkata, Howrah and South Parganas districts have been flooded, leading to road closures. The government is currently trying to control the situation. About 5,000 trees have been uprooted and roads cleared, government officials claimed.

In many areas, people have no food, which has led to looting and protests. The central government has announced Rs 1,000 crore in aid, while Mamata Banerjee says more than Rs 1 lakh crore has been lost against which the aid is too small.

As the situation worsened, the West Bengal government sought the help of the army and the government, prompting the army to take immediate action to contain the situation. They have been deployed, especially in cities with the worst conditions. The state also demanded railways and manpower.