India can’t seem to get a breather with the super cyclone Amphan now, as it is hitting hard the state of West Bengal. The current death toll from Cyclone Amphan is 77 while thousands are homeless in the coastal state. Wrecking havoc on power, telecom and infrastructure in several districts in West Bengal, vehicular damage is rampant in the state due to the Super cyclone with hundreds of vehicles damaged. Water-logging has been observed in the low-lying areas with flooding of cars being reported across the state.
News reports coming out of West Bengal paint a harrowing picture of the damage caused by the cyclone. Hundreds of cars like Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Dzire are spotted damaged as the winds lashed with ferocious velocity reaching up to a speed of 125Km/hr. According to media reports, most of the damaged cars are immovable and need the help of towing for repairs at the service centres and garages. Water flooding in cars can trigger short-circuits as the electrical components are now fixed to the vehicle floors.
Damaged vehicles owners are making an attempt to outsource the work to roadside garages for repair stuff. A quote posted in The Telegraph India outlined the different problems the owners are facing. “I have a trusted mechanic at a roadside garage in Lansdowne. For body painting, I rely on him. It is far less expensive than going to a dealer workshop, particularly for denting and painting work,” said Jatin Hazra, whose Honda City has suffered a bonnet dent during the cyclone.
Also, due to the COVID-19, repair shops and garages are currently closed or understaffed, so it will be a while before your vehicle hits the road again. Indian Army is already working in the West Bengal state to clear the roads and rebuild the communication like telephony and internet service. Central government as already announced an initial advance of Rs 1,000 crore towards relief work. The National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force (NDRF & SDRF) are already on the ground and additional teams are in West Bengal to undertake relief efforts.