‘Doubt if our roof is intact, wish I could talk to my kin’

Ever since she watched television footage of Cyclone Amphan battering large parts of the South 24 Parganas district, Arati Sardar, 45, has not stopped praying for her family at Chunakhali, a remote gram panchayat area in the Sunderbans.

“I tried calling my husband and daughter. Their phones have not rung even once in five days. One of our relatives from another part of the district told me that there is no electricity and mobile phone towers have collapsed. I cannot take this anxiety anymore,” Sardar said.

“A lot of people have died, they said on television,” she added.

The 45- year-old homemaker started taking a train to Kolkata to work as a domestic help when her husband, a mason, lost his job because of his excessive drinking, three years ago.

Ever since the nationwide lockdown began on March 25, Sardar has been stranded at her employer’s home in Gariahat, south Kolkata. Her son, also a migrant worker, is stuck in Bengaluru where he recently underwent a kidney operation.

“The roof of our home is covered by an asbestos sheet. I doubt it is intact. We have some date palm, mango, banana and other trees on a small piece of land. The orchard must be ravaged. I wish I could talk to my husband once,” Sardar said. TANMAY CHATTERJEE

SINCE THE NATIONWIDE LOCKDOWN BEGAN, SARDAR HAS BEEN STRANDED AT HER EMPLOYER’S HOME IN GARIAHAT, SOUTH KOLKATA. HER SON, ALSO A MIGRANT WORKER, IS STUCK IN BENGALURU