‘I was poor before, but Cyclone Amphan left me destitute': Disaster Displacement and Support in Bangladesh

Citation

Crawford NJW, Rahman S, Nazia T, Mattar SD & Kalu UU (2023) ‘I was poor before, but Cyclone Amphan left me destitute': Disaster Displacement and Support in Bangladesh. In: Crawford NJW, Michael K & Mikulewicz M (eds.) Climate Justice in the Majority World: Vulnerability, Resistance, and Diverse Knowledges. 1 ed. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003214021-5/poor-cyclone-amphan-left-destitute-neil-crawford-siddiqur-rahman-tanzina-nazia-sennan-david-mattar-ukegbu-uwa-kalu?context=ubx&refId=02331472-4c26-4904-ab6b-a2282e43c4bc

Abstract
In May 2020, Cyclone Amphan caused extensive destruction in a number of countries in south and southeast Asia. This chapter explores the aftermath of the cyclone in southwestern Bangladesh, one of the worst hit areas within one of the most climate-vulnerable countries on the planet. As disasters impact millions of people each year, and with this expected to rise, it is essential to better understand short and longer-term responses, impacts, and coping strategies. This is particularly important for already vulnerable communities. Existing academic literature on Cyclone Amphan has primarily focused on immediate physical impacts, but less work has been done on the social and political consequences in the months that followed, a gap which this chapter seeks to help to address. The chapter is based on fieldwork in Bangladesh between March and May 2021, and shows the importance of adequate disaster response and recovery. Disasters such as Cyclone Amphan can compound existing vulnerabilities, expose people to future risks, and are experienced differently based on factors including the person's age, economic status, and gender. Throughout disaster and post-disaster settings, impacted people show their resilience and find ways to support each other, especially when formal aid mechanisms and structures have failed.