Bangladesh and India Hit by Amphan

What could be worse than COVID-19? A super cyclone during COVID-19.

The Super Cyclone ‘Amphan’, which some are calling a monster cyclone, hit coastal areas in Bangladesh and the adjoining East coast of India on Wednesday night. Rain and winds blew in from the Bay of Bengal since the afternoon of May 19th and kept moving inwards at around a 150 kph wind speed, causing heavy rains.

Over 2.4 million people were moved to safety shelters within one day. Communities who live in coastal areas were the first to experience the wrath of the cyclone, followed by adjacent districts. 

The cyclone caused massive tidal waves, which destroyed embankments, causing hundreds of villages and towns in districts such as, Bhola, Patuakhali, Khulna, Barguna, Barishal, Laxmipur to be completely submerged under water. The states of West Bengal and Orissa in India were also hit with significant devastation.

In Bangladesh, we were able to contact a few of our partners. One said, “Many houses are damaged, some houses are submerged under water, fisheries are submerged too, crops in the lower land submerged, roads damaged, and no electricity.”

More than 10 million people are left without electricity, especially in the southwestern part of Bangladesh. There is a loss of cellphone and internet connection. Those living there are completely detached from the rest of the country.

There are many believers living in these affected areas, and we are trying to reach them despite the breakdown of internet and telecommunication. Please pray for God’s special hand of protection and provision for them. There is a greater chance of COVID-19 spreading in the cyclone evacuation centres and as relief work begins in hard hit areas.

Please Pray

– For a quick recovery in the wake of Cyclone Amphan’s devastating impact and COVID-19. Pray for the victims, especially our brothers and sisters to find hope, salvation and comfort in God.

– For God to use His Church to extend love and help toward those affected. Pray that He will open new ways for us as a ministry and other relief organizations to meet the needs of the people.

– For families that have been most affected, especially the vulnerable – the children, elderly, the sick. Pray for the people to be able to return to normal life again.
– For the government to step up measures to try and stop the spread of the virus, especially among the people who were taken to the cyclone centres.