Dalai Lama writes to Mamata, Naveen Patnaik; condoles deaths due to Cyclone Amphan

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik condoling the loss of life, the devastation of property, as well as the hardship caused to so many people, in several districts of their states due to Cyclone Amphan. He has also committed to donating to relief and rebuilding efforts from his trust.

In the letter, Dalai Lama wrote: “I appreciate the prior preparations that were made to respond to this natural disaster, and the efforts that are underway to provide relief and assistance to those affected. As a mark of solidarity with the people of West Bengal and Odisha, I am making a donation from the Dalai Lama Trust to the relief and rebuilding efforts. I would like to convey my condolences to you, to the families who have lost loved ones, and to all those affected by Cyclone Amphan.”

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Special regard for Bengal

To Mamata Banerjee he remarked, “In addition to our profound respect for India as a sacred land, which has also been home to many Tibetans over the last 61 years, we have a special regard for Bengal. This is because Shantarakshita, the great philosopher and dialectician who established Samyé, the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Tibet in the 8th century CE, and Dipankara Atisha, who revived the practice of Buddhism in the 11th century, both hailed from Bengal.”

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Cyclone Amphan

Cyclone Amphan, which reported winds up to 190 kmph made landfall at the Digha coast of West Bengal on Wednesday and hit Kolkata a few hours later. There were widespread power cuts in large parts of Kolkata, North 24 Paraganas and South Paraganas. Mobile, internet services, and electricity were also down in parts as the cyclone had damaged several communication towers and the electrical grid. At least 80 people have been killed in the calamity, while thousands are displaced.

On the other hand, nearly 45 lakh people in Odisha have been affected by the extremely severe cyclonic storm, which fiercely rolled past the state's coast and made landfall on Wednesday, uprooting trees and flattening fragile dwellings. The power infrastructure and the farm sector have also suffered considerable damage, while the telecommunication infrastructure is largely intact with minimal impact, he said.

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