Vulnerability is severe when a particular section, region faces multiple vulnerable or shocks

one after another, when the effect of one shock has not been adapted weaned away. While
significant section of population may be affected by occurrence of single shock only, it is
combination of multiple shocks almost at the same time when it has not even time to adapt to
previous shocks, that the magnitude of vulnerability is even greater. In the 1943 famine of
West Bengal, most of the districts were initially vulnerable because it mostly depended on
food imports from Burma. Second source of risk were occurring World War II in south Asian
war zone, between Japan and British occupied territories for which Bengal was denied to lack
of food. Third vulnerable situation was year preceding 1943 was El Nino year with short rice
production. Fourth shock was cyclone of 1943 which destroyed large portions of crops of
many districts of West Bengal, and flooded and destroyed much property and peoples lives.
Fifth shock was fungal disease called brown rust which affected between 50-90 percent of
total rice crops in West Bengal, due to which existing food supplies were diminished. Sixth
condition for vulnerability was insensitive British government which gave less priority to
peoples condition and had not made any prior efforts to have food grain reserve stocks.
Combination of these multiple shocks and negative circumstances culminated in the severe
famine condition of West Bengal of 1943.