OCHA Situation Report No. 6
Bangladesh: Cyclone Sidr
22 November 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

This situation report is based on information received from the
Bangladesh Disaster Management Information Centre, the UN Resident
Coordinator's Office Bangladesh, the Disaster Emergency Response Group
(DER), UN Agencies and OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
(ROAP).

I. Situation in Bangladesh

1. Cyclone Sidr, Category IV, hit Bangladesh on the evening of 15
November. The cyclone struck offshore islands at 1830 hours and made
landfall across the southern coast from Cox's Bazaar in the east toward
the Satkhira districts in the west at 2030 hours local time, with wind
speeds of up to 240 km/ph. The storm caused extensive damage to the
southern districts as it moved north across central Bangladesh.

2. More than 5 million people in 30 districts were affected by the
storm. As of 21 November, the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) official
reports indicated a death toll of 2,942 people, with a further 1,724
missing and 28,188 injured. This number is expected to increase as
information is verified. Material damage is severe, with over 458,804
homes were destroyed and a further 665,529 houses were partially
damaged. The GoB estimates more than 1.4 million acres of crops are
damaged and over 360,000 livestock are confirmed killed. Extensive
damage to roads and public buildings was also reported, including 1,780
educational institutions destroyed and another 5,700 partially damaged.
The worst affected areas include Bagerhat, Barguna, Barisal, Bhola,
Gopalgonj, Jhalkhati, Khulna, Mandaripur, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Satkhira
and Shariatpur districts.

3. On the basis of early assessment data, priority needs include food,
clean water supply, diarrhoea treatment and shelter assistance. The
longer term perspective requires rehabilitation of livelihoods,
infrastructure, health and educational services and increased shelter
capacity.

II. National Response in Bangladesh

4. To date, the Chief Government Adviser has allocated 138 million taka
for relief and house construction in 11 districts. The Deputy
Commissioners are procuring and collecting sufficient amount of dry food
to respond to the current situation. The Ministry of Food and Disaster
Management (MoFDM) has allocated 7,070 metric tonnes of rice, 7,500
tents, 18,000 blankets and 30 million taka as gratuitous relief grants,
to date. A special fund was established allocating 350 million taka for
housing construction grants. 13,000 bundles of corrugated iron sheets
are ready for immediate distribution. 732 medical teams are working in
the affected areas. The military continues to bring relief items to the
affected people by planes, boats and helicopters as more roads are
opened.

5. The Government of Bangladesh's early warning and preparedness systems
were activated prior to the cyclone making landfall, which greatly
reduced the humanitarian impact of this disaster. Preparedness measures
included the evacuation of approximately 3.2 million people. Alarms were
raised and relief and rescue items were stockpiled.

6. The Government of Bangladesh held the Disaster and Emergency Response
group (DER) meetings on 15 November and 18 November. The next DER
meeting will be held on 22 November and will discuss needs assessment
results.

III. International Response in Bangladesh

7. The United Nations, IFRC, and NGOs, including Save the Children,
World Vision International, CARE, Caritas, OXFAM, Islamic Relief, ACT,
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), Muslim Aid, CONCERN,
Plan and ActionAid continue to provide support to the Government of
Bangladesh through extensive emergency response mechanisms throughout
southern Bangladesh.

8. In coordination with the Bangladesh Air Force, the United Nations is
distributing 208 tonnes of high-energy biscuits to assist an estimated
850,000 cyclone affected people. 240,000 packets of water purifying
powder are reaching 48,000 families. Shelter materials (thick
polyesters) will also be distributed to 18,000 households whose houses
were destroyed. Partners are currently distributing dry food (flattened
rice and molasses) to 70,000 affected families. Medical officers have
been made available to assist Government response, including four for
coordinating central response. The UN began procurement and distribution
of 60,00 family kits, tube wells, 100,000 Jerry cans, USD 1.5 million
for medicine, 92 metric tones of baby food, 100,000 blankets, 60,000
family kits, 60,000 children clothing, 50,000 plastic sheets. USD 50,000
has been made available for water and supplies and transportation. More
relief will be made available following initial determination of needs,
which is expected on 22 November.

9. The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator released a second
round of Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) allocations to the amount
of USD 5.92 million for activities in Heath, Telecommunications,
Emergency Shelter and Non-Food Items on 21 November. This is in addition
to the initial CERF allocation of USD 8.75 million for projects in
Agriculture, Child Protection, Food, Nutrition and Water and Sanitation
disbursed on 19 November.

10. On 16 November, IFRC launched a preliminary emergency appeal for USD
3.5 million to support the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society to assist
235,000 beneficiaries for a period of nine months. The China Red Cross
pledged USD 50,000 in assistance for the Red Cross Society of
Bangladesh.

11. The World Bank pledged up to USD 250 million The funds to provide
food imports, medical supplies, and cash grants, as well as for
infrastructure rehabilitation and flood mitigation.

12. The following countries have pledged assistance to the relief
effort, to date: Australia (USD 2.8 million); Belgium (USD 2 million);
Canada (USD 3,400,000); China (USD 1 million); Czech Republic (USD
80,645); Denmark (USD 965,764); Estonia (USD 46,045); France (USD
720,461); Germany (USD 1,008,645); India (USD 1 million); Ireland (USD
720,461); Japan (USD 307,018); Kuwait (USD 10 million); Netherlands (USD
1,440,922); Spain (USD 1,080,692); Sweden (USD 2,668,780); United
Kingdom (USD 5,165,289); United States of America (USD 2,352,215). The
USA also contributed USD 100,000 in initial emergency assistance, as
well as providing a five-person disaster assessment team to assist local
authorities with relief and recovery efforts. Pakistan made an in-kind
contribution of four C-130 plane loads and one ship of relief goods.

13. The European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) has pledged
USD 9.6 million to the Cyclone Sidr emergency response. The OPEC Fund
for International Development committed USD 500,000 to the IFRC to
provide essential relief supplies and support in the emergency
operation.

14. Caritas Spain contributed USD 288,184 for emergency aid to the
affected disaster population.

15. For updated information on financial contributions, please refer to
the OCHA Financial Tracking System website: http://reliefweb.int/fts/.
Donors are encouraged to verify contributions and inform FTS of
corrections/additions/values to this table.

16. This situation report, together with further information regarding
on-going emergencies, is also available on the Reliefweb:
http://www.reliefweb.int.

For detailed information please contact:

OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (Bangkok)
Ms. Eliane Provo Kluit
Tel. +66819129854
Email : provokluit@un.org


Desk Officers:

(NYC) Ms. Kendra Clegg
Tel. +1 646 416 1140
Email: clegg@un.org

(GVA) Mr. Jean Verheyden
Tel: + 41 79 509 8116
Email: verheyden@un.org


Press contact

(NYC) Ms. Stephanie Bunker
Tel.  + 1 917 367 5126

(GVA) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs
Tel.  + 41 22 917 2653


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