Cyclone landing Concerns about spread of infection at evacuation centers Eastern India, etc. May 20, 19:25

A very powerful cyclone is expected to land on the eastern part of India and Bangladesh where the new coronavirus infection is spreading on the night of 20th, and in addition to the damage caused by storms and storm surges, the population spread to the evacuation centers and the infection spreads. There is growing concern about what to do.

According to India's meteorological authorities, the cyclone "Ampan" temporarily developed into the strongest "super cyclone", but then it weakened slightly and moved north in the Bay of Bengal, east of India.

The cyclone is expected to further approach eastern India and the coast of Bangladesh and land near the border on the night of the 20th, with meteorological authorities declining a cyclone that killed approximately 10,000 people in eastern India in 1999. We are calling for strict caution as there is a possibility of comparable damage.

Infection of the new coronavirus is spreading in India, with a total of nearly 4,000 infected people in the two eastern states where the cyclone is approaching, and in Bangladesh more than 25,000 infected people ..

Approximately 2.7 million people in India and Bangladesh are calling for evacuation in the wake of the approach of the cyclone, but there is growing concern over the spread of infection due to crowding of residents in evacuation centers.

Local authorities are taking measures such as limiting the number of people in evacuation centers to half and thoroughly sterilizing alcohol, but there is a risk that some residents may not be able to enter the evacuation centers, which makes it difficult to respond.

"First of all, evacuation" NGO

Cherian Thomas, South Asia-Pacific regional leader of the "World Vision" of NGOs operating in India and Bangladesh, told NHK in the interview, "Separate people in refuges and keep away from crowding. It is difficult to do so, ”and pointed out the difficulty in achieving both evacuation behavior and measures to prevent infection.

He added, "It is important to prioritize possible risks. You should first evacuate to a safe place where you can mask and disinfect your hands to take possible infection control measures." He stressed that prioritizing the evacuation of shelters and other places to ensure personal safety should be prioritized.

It is also a big issue locally how to prevent the life of evacuation centers from being prolonged if there is damage to housing.