Summer Storm

Summers in India are sultry and oppressive, unlike those in western countries. More so, when you live along the coasts. The moist atmosphere, and the heatwaves make sure that your body is never dry. Slight drizzling gives no respite unless it turns into a heavy shower. 

 

The Summer of 2019 was no less treacherous. But there was something more for us that year. In mid-April, the IMD forecasted that somewhere around the first week of May, Odisha will be hit by a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm — Fani. Odisha is no stranger to cyclones, and it doesn't terrify us anymore, thanks to the preparedness of our CM who makes sure there are zero casualties. Usually, cyclones are an autumn phenomenon, but this time, after more than 100 years, Odisha was going to face a summer cyclone. 

 

Accordingly, we arranged food, lanterns, torches, and candles, since there was a possibility of the shops being shut and power cut. My grandmother used to tell me how destructive the 1999 Super Cyclone had been, and how it gives her chills when she hears the news of some cyclone approaching. 

 

Ultimately, the day of the storm arrived. It was May 3, 2019. That morning began with overcast skies and a drizzle, which might have appeared to be a pleasant monsoon day. The wind speed kept increasing steadily with every passing hour, and we closed all our windows as per the government's advisory steps. 

 

And then, at around 11.30 a.m., Fani struck with all its might. The winds howled to a decibel, and through my window, I could already see tin roofs, plastic vehicle covers, and other debris starting to fly about. Every few minutes, the wind pounded on my glass windows with sickening thudding sounds. I wasn't sure how long the poor windows would last. 

 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the storm subsided. I checked my watch. It was around 2.30 p.m., which meant that the storm had lasted for almost three hours. After the winds battered the city with their characteristic terrifying sounds, everything went dead silent and dark. I had never seen the city in such a situation before. To go out, and see the destruction, was pure horror. There was no electricity, trees were uprooted everywhere, electric poles had fallen, mobile networks were unavailable, and concrete walls had collapsed. 

 

The dawn after the apocalypse was all-the-more glum. The cyclone didn’t ease the heat as it was very sunny the next day, and there was no electricity. Nothing had remained intact, except the deluded hopes of the people. Petrol pumps, ATMs, airports, railway stations, shops — everything was either closed or destroyed. The storm had brought the area to a standstill. 

 

My family and I lived without electricity and a network for 4 days straight. While many affluent people chose to spend thousands of rupees to stay in hotels, solely because they were being operated on electricity generators, we chose to endure the catastrophe. We had stored gallons of water beforehand, but it proved to be insufficient as the power cut extended more than we had expected. I still remember, my parents used to fetch buckets of water from our well to our washroom and kitchen!

 

May 7 was a big day for me. My 10th ICSE results were expected to be out at 3.00 p.m. I had worked extremely hard throughout the year with my exams in mind. But, how do I check my result without any Internet connection? Anxiety gripped me hard. I phoned my uncle, who used to live in Delhi, and he told me my marks. To my utter delight, I scored 95.8%. That made me forget all the hardships for a while. At 7.00 p.m., the electricity was restored. Such a happy day it was! 

 

All in all, the cyclonic storm taught me never to take simple things like electricity, food, and water for granted. It made me more resilient, and capable to survive disasters. It made me grateful for the basic necessities, and I stopped complaining about not having the most luxurious life.