CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROGRAM EMERGENCY
BANGLADESH CYCLONE RESPONSE
January 4, 2008

Cyclone Sidr hit the southern coast of Bangladesh November 15, leaving 
behind an enormous trail of devastation. The Category-5 storm made 
landfall on the Khulna and Barisal coasts with winds of up to 150 miles 
per hour.

The full extent of the destruction and loss of life caused by Sidr is 
not yet known, though initial estimates are that up to 4,000 people 
perished. In addition to the loss of life, the cyclone caused extensive 
damage to crops, houses, school buildings and roads, disrupting 
electricity and telecommunication systems and destroying water sources 
and water supplies. A complicating factor in recovery efforts has been 
the high level of saline and poison of the ground water and the water 
sources.

Some 1.5 million people are currently living in shelters and there is an 
immediate danger of water-borne diseases and epidemics. Immediate 
humanitarian needs include dry foods, clean drinking water and blankets.


CWS RESPONSE:

CWS is supporting efforts of partner Christian Community Development of 
Bangladesh (CCDB) in a program that covers up to six months of work to 
end in June; a revised appeal will be issued later to include 
rehabilitation and post-crisis work.

The major aim of the CWS-sponsored program is to provide early recovery 
assistance to 5,000 households (some 25,000 persons) affected by the 
cyclone. Specifically, to assist vulnerable families with emergency food 
supplies; provide temporary shelter assistance and clothing; and to 
create immediate job opportunities for those affected.

These efforts include providing a food package consisting of rice (30 
kg), pulses (6 kg), salt (2 kg) and cooking oil (2 liters) for the 5,000 
families * enough food supplies for two weeks. In addition, CCDB is 
providing clothing items for some 2,500 families, including sharee 
(women's wear), lungi (men's wear) and children's garments, as well as 
bundles of plastic sheeting for 1,500 families and small cash assistance 
for those families to repair their houses.

The jobs/livelihood component consists of providing work to assist in 
cleanup and other rehabilitation tasks for 2,500 persons at ten days of 
work each.

Total budget is $527,929 which includes $116,765 for food support; 
$58,824 for clothing and blankets; $242,647 for temporary shelter; and 
$109,693 for the jobs/livelihood component and program implementation 
costs.

For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is 
responding please visit www.churchworldservice.org or call the CWS 
Hotline, (800) 297-1516.

CWS Emergency Response Program special contacts:
(212) 870-3151
Program Director: dderr@churchworldservice.org


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Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
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Center for International             web: www.cidi.org
    Disaster Information         listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
                               guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
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Bangladesh Cyclone              www.cidi.org/incident/bng-storm-07k