WATCH | Deadly cyclone Amphan adds to Covid-19 misery in Bangladesh

The government and authorities in Bangladesh fear that overcrowded storm evacuation shelters will exacerbate the spread of coronavirus. This comes after Cyclone Amphan flattened houses, uprooted trees, blew off roofs and toppled electricity pylons.

The cyclone that hit Bangladesh on May 21 2020 has killed at least 95 people. Three-million people in villages along the coast were evacuated to shelters, where social distancing will be difficult and put residents at risk of spreading the coronavirus.

The UN office in Bangladesh estimates 10-million people were affected by the cyclone, and about 500,000 people may have lost their homes.

Packing people into shelters raised the risk of Covid-19 spreading, with cases still surging in Bangladesh and neighbouring India.

“The coronavirus has already taken a toll on people. Now the cyclone has made them paupers,” said local councillor Bhabotosh Kumar Mondal.