Yaas turns Kolkata weather pleasant, but mood remains sombre

Memories of destruction caused by Cyclone Amphan only a year ago are still fresh

In pre-COVID times, Kolkata would have enjoyed a day like this with a cup of tea and savouries — cloudy skies, occasional drizzle and respite from the May-end heat, all because Cyclone Yaas narrowly missed the city on Wednesday. But the mood remained sombre. The memories of Cyclone Amphan, which had uprooted thousands of old trees and electric poles only a year ago, were only too fresh. Also, the steady stream of bad news one is becoming accustomed to: someone has lost a parent, someone a friend, someone else his favourite teacher. “This time we were calmer because the government seemed better prepared to handle the cyclone. We were very concerned about our factory sheds and the material inside — during Amphan there was widespread damage. This time the rain and the breeze were a pleasant change from the crushing humidity of May, but then, the overall scenario is so depressing,” said Ballygunge-resident Anshu Monga Kapur.