9 October

The rain drizzles as I begin writing my report. It has been constantly like this since yesterday. Mum said it was because of Bulbul. Bulbul. The cyclone that has evolved in the Andaman Sea and was coming towards India. Or as people have believed, just a while ago.

It was supposed to go to India. Only India. Then it changed its course and was also coming towards Bangladesh. On 8 November, IMD stated that Bulbul was going to hit  Odishya, west bengal and Bangladesh coast. Bangladesh Weather Department said, Bulbul was gaining strength. It's speed is increasing 88 km every hour. The sea (Bay of Bengal) was very restless today. It's raining everywhere in Khulna, Chottogram, Borisal and even in Dhaka, my city. I can see out the window, that it's raining, since the morning. I could not help but be astonished by its reach. It really is a scary cyclone.

10 October

Cyclones are no mystery in a country like Bangladesh. In 1970, the most dangerous cyclone ever in the history of our country, attacked the land. Though, Bangladesh wasn't yet Bangladesh; it was under the reign of Pakistan. 3-5 million people had died then, of the storm. After independence, Sidor was another horrific blow in 15 November, 2007. From 1960 to 2019, a total of 36 cyclones had hit Bangladesh.

However, Weather Bureau of Bangladesh gave an analysis: it used to be one or two cyclone every two year until 2006. But then, it started becoming one cyclone every year until 2019. This year, 7 cyclones were created in the Bay of Bengal. 5 of them had been the dangerous kind, meaning their speed had been 100-200 kilometre per hour. The last cyclone to hit Bangladesh was Foni, May 1st.

A professor from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology said, climate change is the reason behind the amount of cyclones are increasing. No doubt it will increase more with the passage of time.

Government has speculated Bulbul will probably attack khulna-borisal coast. Yesterday, the speed of it had been 120 kilometre/hour. It could become 140 kilometre/hour. They even said it could bring a tsunami 5-7 feet high. 14 districts had been warned and urged to take precautions.

Every navy transport at the sea had been shut down. Board exams had been postponed. Even admission exams at national universities had been rescheduled some other day.

People in the warning districts are also worried about their crops and animals. This is the season of ripening wheat. They could be destroyed because of Bulbul. It would be a huge blow to both their financial state and Bangladesh.

The rain isn't drizzling anymore. It's falling cats and dogs in Dhaka. My family and I, we are set in front of the television,waiting for more news. It will hit today, Bulbul. Everyone's being taken to the refugee centers. The weather is terrific, angry. They are also giving the headlines in several channels: hundreds of fisherman did not return from the sea.

God knows what will happen now. Will Bulbul be just like Sidor? Or worse?

11 October

It hit Sundarban. Sundarban is the only mangrove forest of the country. The trees took the most of it, in turn making Bulbul go weak. Nature had taken upon itself to save the human race, despite it itself was ruined.

The crops and fish were the most damaged. The Forest Bureau haven't estimated the loss yet. Although, according to the government, nine people died at the storm. Out of them, eight had been squashed by the falling trees.

A ship at the Bhola coast sunk at the time of the storm. It had 24 passengers. The police and coastal guard saved 10 people, but they cannot find 14 more. 

Afterwards, they found 8 dead bodies. 

As a matter of fact, it had been the environment, which was the most affected from the storm than people. As guessed, crops were ruined because of Bulbul. Agriculture Department estimate 2.8 million hectare land was damaged, and out of them crops were absolutely ruined 2-5 percent. Sathkhira, Bagerhat, Bhola, Barguna had been the most affected. Their lands had winter vegetables, just at the verge of being taken out and sold. But they were destroyed. The farmers will be facing serious financial problems. 

But the lives lost were far lower than expected. 14 people are dead, according to the government. This could've been worse, really. It could've been like 2007. But nature saved us from its own wrath, making quite a contradictory scenario. But we are thankful to the environment, for saving us from such a terrific calamity.

See the routes of Bulbul at Windy.com. 

Source:

Mainly Prothom Alo newspaper. Somoy News Channel.