Our bank name & account number:
Bank- STATE BANK OF INDIA, HATIBAGAN BRANCH, KOLKATA, INDIA
ACCOUNT NAME- TAGORE SOCIETY FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT RANGABELIA PROJECT

Target Area :
Villages in Gosaba, Basanti, Sandeshkhali , Hingulgunj, Kultali blocks of the Sunderbans in 24 Parganas (S & N), West Bengal are affected.

• What has happened, where and when?
  
  INCIDENCE: Due to low pressure in gangetic West Bengal towards the northern part of the Bay of Bengal, a cyclone with wind speeds of 120 – 140 kms (‘AILA’ )made landfall on coastal Bengal throughout the whole of 25th May ’09.
  Repeated tidal surges breached more than 400 kms. of embankments causing salt water from the many saline rivers in this area to rush in, flooding thousands of hectares of farm land and the densely populated villages..
   

• Direct impacts of the cyclone on the people, livelihood, farm land, infrastructure
  
  People: Official reports suggest that 88 persons died. Our estimates are higher. Many are reported missing and some people are injured when roofs, trees etc. crashed on them.
  Many of them had been bitten by snakes and most are suffering from water borne diseases like diarrhea, dysentery and skin rash.
  Livelihood:  Farmlands and ponds (tanks) are filled with saline water. There is extensive crop failure. Large numbers of domestic animals have drowned and their carcasses have not been completely removed.
  Farmland: There has been extensive saline water flooding. Unless embankments are first repaired, these lands cannot be drained as high tide means the onrush of salt waters twice a day.
  Infrastructure: 3/4ths of the riverbanks are totally damaged. Tidal waters enter through these breaches. The details about riverbanks are given below:
  
  Around 400 kms. of embankments have completely collapsed.
   

  Thousands of people lost their homes because of the cyclone and consequent floods. Most roads have been destroyed and even telecommunications disrupted. Thus, for the first few days, it was virtually impossible to contact people living on the islands.

• Are there any casualties? Please quantify (dead, injured, homeless, etc.)
  
  As mentioned earlier, 88 persons have been officially reported dead. Unofficial reports suggest higher casualty figures. Thousands of brick and cement houses had their roofs blown away and the mud and thatch structures were completely destroyed. In the devastated areas, more than 95% of the people are homeless. Some have now taken refuge on their roofs of their damaged houses. Some have sought shelter in nearby school buildings. Others are staying on the roadside and on embankments.