Sunderbans shield protects Kolkata from Bulbul fury
13 Nov 2019
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
300-year-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.
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