Climate Witness stories

Climate Witness: Shitanath Sarkar, Sundarbans delta

Shitanath Sarkar and his large family lead a precarious existence in the Sundarbans delta, the world’s largest, where the Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers meet and flow into the Bay of Bengal. As storms and flooding get worse, he wonders what has caused "nature’s fury".

"The Sundarbans are my home. I’ve lived here since I was a child. Now I’m 65 and things have gone bad to worse.

"Inch by inch, my single hectare of land gradually disappeared in front of my eyes. I fear one day our whole village will perish under the waters.

"When cyclones come ashore we are flooded out for days on end, suspended between life and death. Embankments provide no security – they just buy a extra few hours.

We are caught in nature’s fury

"We are caught in nature’s fury and can easily drown. We are bearing the brunt of nature.

"Seawater floods villages and the salt destroys crops. Our cows, goats and food stocks get washed away during storms.

"If we lose our land, we die. We have no alternative sources of income left. Traditional livelihoods, like honey gathering, logging and hunting have become impossible. We almost starve.

"There is water everywhere but none to drink.

"There used to be 18 huts in front my house, now everything has been washed away. Water is pushing us deeper inland. Many families have fled in search of safer areas.

"I’m too old now. I can’t leave the village. Where would I go? I have ten mouths to feed."