Sphere : Unified Response Strategy ‐ Inter Agency Multi Sectoral Assessment, Cyclone Aila, June 2009 Page 1 of 64

For the victims of Cyclone Aila, May 25, 2009,

Sphere India Secretariat Building No: 302/3, Sona Apartments, Kaushilya Park, Hauz Khas, Opposite Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi 110016 Ph: +91 11 46070374/75, Fax: +91 46070379 Email: [email protected]; Web: www.sphereindia.org.in Sphere India: Unified Response Strategy ‐ Inter Agency Multi Sectoral Assessment, Cyclone Aila, June 2009 Page 2 of 64

Table of Contents:

Introduction of Cyclone Aila 04 District Map of West Bengal...... 06 State IAG West Bengal Coordination Meetings...... 07 Sphere India Emergency Coordination Meeting...... 08 Inter Agency Multi Sectoral Team Assessment...... 10 Assessment Team Members ...... 11 Name of Partner Agencies and Operational Areas Visited ...... 12 Flow Chart of the Process ...... 13

Secondary Data Analysis 14 South 24 Paraganas District Profile ...... 15 North 24 Paraganas District Profile ...... 17 East District Profile ...... 19 West Midnapore District Profile ...... 21 Impact of Cyclone Aila on the Districts ...... 24 Child Protection Issues ...... 26 Assessment Team Observations 29 Livelihoods...... 30 Food & Nutrition ...... 33 Water, Sanitation and hygiene ...... 37 Shelter ...... 48

Sectoral Recommendations 51 Livelihoods...... 52 Food & Nutrition ...... 54 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene...... 56 Shelter ...... 58

Sources 59

Annex 1: Summary of findings on WASH in the villages visited 61

Sphere India: Unified Response Strategy ‐ Inter Agency Multi Sectoral Assessment, Cyclone Aila, June 2009 Page 3 of 64

CYCLONE AILA:

The Cyclone Aila which hit West Bengal and Bangladesh on May 25 and 26th, 2009, has devastated the lives and livelihoods of scores of people who live in the harm’s way. According to the Government of West Bengal statistics, over 6.77 million people have been affected and 137 killed in both North 24 Pargana and South 24 Paragana, the two worst hit districts of West Bengal.

The cyclone aila collapsed more than 500 kilometers of embankments and 926,000 semi permanent houses. As on 7 June 2009 361,000 internally displaced people are still living in 569 make shift government relief camps.

In view of overwhelming needs and expected early monsoon forecast, there is a high demand of safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, good hygiene practices, access to healthy food, temporary shelters and critical medical facilities, mostly in those affected cut off villages of Sunderbans.

As per the official damage report by Government of West Bengal, 2.89 million hector agricultural lands have been inundated with 100% loss of standing crops and stored grains specially in South 24 Pargana & North 24 Pargana.

In most of the villages, the grain storage which usually supplies food to a family is washed away along with the main house, resulting in lack of food security of the islanders. During the field survey, it seemed evident that, in most of the islands, agriculture would be impossible in next three years. Many of the islanders confirmed that they had never faced such a devastating cyclone in the last 20 years (the last super cyclone in West Bengal was in 1988).

Sphere India: Unified Response Strategy ‐ Inter Agency Multi Sectoral Assessment, Cyclone Aila, June 2009 Page 4 of 64

Based on latest analysis with Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models and other conventional techniques, estimated track and intensity of the system related to Cyclone Aila are given in the Table below:

Date/Time(IST) Position Sustained maximum surface (lat. 0N/long. 0E) wind speed (kmph) 25.05.2009/0230 20.0/88.0 70 gusting to 80

25.05.2009/0530 20.5/88.0 90 gusting to 100

25.05.2009/1130 21.5/88.0 100 gusting to 110

25.05.2009/1730 22.5/88.0