CARE dispatching emergency food, water treatment units
DHAKA, BANGLADESH (May 26, 2009) – More than 500,000 people have been displaced and at least 100 killed after Cyclone Aila slammed into Bangladesh and Eastern India yesterday, and information is still coming in of extensive damage in remote, low-lying islands. CARE’s emergency response team is immediately deploying water treatment units and food rations to the affected communities in southern Bangladesh.
CARE staff are also receiving alarming reports about mass devastation on Nijhum Dwip, a small island with 25,000 residents. A storm surge two-three metres high swept over the low-lying islands in southern Bangladesh, most of which are barely above sea level.
“We’re quite worried about this island, because reports are coming in that houses and fields have been totally washed away,” said Nick Southern, CARE’s Country Director in Bangladesh. “We are trying to get there today by boat, but the cyclone has made travel almost impossible.”
Cyclone Aila hit the same part of the country that was devastated by Cyclone Sidr in 2007, which killed more than 3,500 people and displaced two million more. Many of the communities were just starting to recover from Sidr, and now infrastructure and houses have been damaged again, and freshly-planted rice fields have been washed away and crops destroyed. CARE built 1,200 houses for survivors of Cyclone Sidr.
“Southern Bangladesh was devastated after Cyclone Sidr hit in November 2007, and they’ve just been hit again,” said Southern. “By bad luck, the edge of this storm hit Bangladesh at high tide, so the storm surge went right above the protective embankment. One of our staff in the area called us yesterday, saying the ground floor of his house was completely under water, and they were moving to the second floor. The entire area is under water.”
CARE is coordinating with the government and local and international aid agencies to determine the extent of the damage, and is mobilizing additional emergency supplies. CARE’s initial response is funded by USAID.
About CARE: CARE is one of the world’s largest independent humanitarian organizations, based in Geneva, Switzerland. CARE has worked in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) since 1949, and implements programs to address the underlying causes of poverty focusing on the poorest and most marginalized. CARE has responded to all emergencies in Bangladesh, and works on disaster risk reduction and climate change programs. After Cyclone Sidr in 2007, CARE responded immediately with emergency supplies, water, shelter and food, and worked with the affected communities to recover their livelihoods and rebuild their communities.
Media contacts:
Melanie Brooks (in Geneva), +41.795903047, [email protected]