Sunderbans shield protects Kolkata from Bulbul fury

KOLKATA:The Sunderbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world and home to the Royal Bengal Tiger, has once again come to Kolkata’s rescue, saving the 300year-old city from the wrath of the severe cyclone, Bulbul, that killed at least eight people and left a trail of destruction in its wake.

In May 2009, the mangrove forest saved the city from the impact of cyclone Aila.

“The Sunderbans with its thick mangrove forest acts like a shield. The mangroves do not just help to reduce the wind speed drastically when the storm moves through the delta but even help to break the waves and the storm surge triggered ,” said Sugata Hazra, professor at School of Oceanographic Studies in Jadavpur University.

The Sunderbans spans 10,000 sq km across India and Bangladesh, of which 40% is in India, and is home to many rare and globally threatened wildlife species such as the Royal Bengal Tiger and the estuarine crocodile. In India, it is confined to the southern tip of West Bengal and spreads over two districts, South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas. “Any cyclone, which originates in the Bay of Bengal and hits the West Bengal coast, has to pass through this mangrove forest before it can hit Kolkata. The mangrove, with its almost impenetrable and thick mesh of trees and roots, acts as a wind barrier, absorbing much of the storm’s steam and leaving it ineffective, in turn, saving Kolkata,” said Pranabesh Sanyal, former chief wildlife warden and ex-chief environment officer of West Bengal. He also said that the location and curvature of the Sunderban delta is such that in most cases the cyclones are diverted towards Bangladesh and same happened this time.

“The Sunderbans has proved its worth again. Many human settlements have come up after clearing the mangroves have suffered extensive damage,” said Abhijit Mitra, a marine scientist and a former professor of Calcutta University.

The mangroves don’t just reduce the wind speed drastically when the storm moves through the delta but even help to break the waves and the storm surge S HAZRA, professor, School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University