Cyclone Amphan Severely Damaged World’s Largest Banyan Tree

Cyclone Amphan, the strongest cyclone that ever hit the Bay of Bengal, has wreaked havoc everywhere it tore through. It has destroyed everything that came in its way, schools, buildings, houses, trees, power lines.

The Howrah botanical garden’s 342-year-old banyan tree, which is also the world’s largest banyan tree, has severely been damaged by the cyclone.

The cyclone has pulled up the root of one of the two “kalprviksha,” also known as brown olive, wild olive, or Indian olive.

Scientist Shiv Kumar from the Botanical Survey of India said that the Howrah botanical garden house the largest banyan tree in the world. The tree is 342 years old. Its core stem is measured at 15 meters while its peripheral stem is over 1.08 km.

In 1925, the core stem of the tree was removed. It currently stands on the external peripheral stems comprising of shoots that emanate from its branches and take roots in the ground.

With the severity of the Cyclone Amphan, the Great Banyan’s peripheral stem as well as branches were damaged. The scientists will need to further inspect the tree to find out how much it has been damaged.

The Great Banyan tree is used as the Botanical Survey of India’s logo. Moreover, the banyan tree is also the national tree of India.

>>> Pictures Showing The Aftermath Of Cyclone Amphan That Hits India