§ 28. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for India whether he has any information respecting the Bengal cyclone disaster; how many lost their lives; how many dwellings were destroyed; and whether effective steps are being taken to relieve the distress?
§ Mr. AmeryI must apologise for the somewhat long reply: A considerable amount of information has already appeared in the Press. The following is a summary of the information available:
A heavy cyclone from the Bay of Bengal passed over the Districts of Midnapore and Twenty-Four Parganas on 16th October. It began about 7 a.m. and lasted 24 hours. A tidal wave, in places 26 feet high, penetrated over 10 miles inland. Approximate estimate of persons killed is 11,000; seriously affected 550,000; partially affected 1,000,000; cattle killed, 75,000; huts destroyed, 700,000; area affected, 3,000 square miles.
For the organisation of relief the affected area has been divided into 54 circles, each circle in charge of a full-time relief officer who plans and co-ordinates the work of Government and voluntary relief workers and organisations. The latter are undertaking the distribution of immediate gratuitous relief with food, clothing and other necessities, while Government attends to long-term relief such as loans to rebuild houses, reorganise businesses, and to purchase cattle, agricultural implements, and seed. The difficulties of relief work are intensified by lack of roads, flooding, damage to telegraph lines and also by the civil disobedience movement, which continues to obstruct Government workers. The Governor of Bengal has raised a fund for the relief of distress resulting from this disaster, and the High Commissioner for India, with the support of the Lord Mayor of London and others, has made an appeal here to which, I am glad to say, there has been a generous response.
§ Mr. SorensenHas any public expression of sympathy gone from the Viceroy or the Government regarding the victims of the disaster, and is the right hon. Gentleman personally satisfied that all is being done to meet the gravity of the situation?
§ Mr. AmeryWith regard to the first part of the question, naturally those expressions went out at the time. As to the second part, I think I can say that everything possible is being done. I would remind my hon. Friend that the whole matter is being dealt with by the Government of Bengal and the Ministers of that Province.
§ Sir A. KnoxHave not British troops taken a very prominent part in the relief work?
§ Mr. MuffIs it not a fact that all sections of this House have shown great sympathy to those people in India in their travail?