Posted on 11/18/2007 4:46:26 PM PST by blam
Bangladesh cyclone death toll hits 15,000
By Peter Foster, South Asia correspondent
Last Updated: 12:23am GMT 19/11/2007
Up to 15,000 people were killed and seven million lives left devastated by the cyclone in Bangladesh last week, aid agencies have said as the full extent of the disaster became clear.
In the worst affected districts, 90 pc of homes and 95 pc of rice crops and valuable prawn farms were obliterated by the winds
The Bangladeshi Red Crescent Society, the country's main humanitarian group, said that more than 3,000 bodies had already been recovered from villages shattered by Cyclone Sidr's 150mph winds.
While the official death toll remains low, Save the Children last night said that it feared that 15,000 people could have died while the Red Crescent estimated around 10,000.
An international relief effort, supported by donations from the UN, Britain, US and Europe, was slowly grinding into gear yesterday as the International Red Cross estimated 900,000 families had been affected.
Previous cyclones killed 500,000 people in 1970 and 143,000 in 1991 - however local officials said the impact would now fall on the many survivors.
In the worst affected districts, 90 per cent of homes and 95 per cent of rice crops and valuable prawn farms were obliterated by the winds, which generated a 20ft tidal surge that swept everything from its path.
Fallen trees and flooded roads are also seriously impeding the relief crews' efforts to reach stricken coastal villages, with elephants being used in some areas to clear the heaviest debris.
Officials described the humanitarian situation in coastal districts like Barguna, 130 miles south of the capital Dhaka, as the "worst in decades", a grave assertion in a country that is used to dealing with annual floods and storms.
Tapan Chowdhury, a government adviser for food and disaster management, described the cyclone as a "national calamity" and urged all to come forward to help the victims.
Relief operators on the ground said supplies were still inadequate and that the government should make an immediate plea for more international aid to avert a "human disaster".
"I have never seen such a catastrophe in my 20 years as a government administrator," said Harisprasad Pal, an official from Barguna District, "Village after village has been shattered. Millions of people are living out in the open and relief is reaching less than one percent of the people."
When reached, victims are being found dehydrated and in a state of shock.
Officials described the humanitarian situation in coastal districts as the 'worst in decades'
"I lost six of my family members in the cyclone. I am afraid that the rest of us will die of hunger," said Sattar Gazi, a 55-year-old farmer in the village of Nishanbari.
"For the corpses we don't have clothes to wrap them in for burial. We are wrapping the bodies in leaves."
Britain announced immediate aid of £2.5 million, while the United States ordered two warships from the Bay of Bengal to assist with rescue and relief efforts, air-lifting supplies to areas cut off by flooding.
Lord Malloch Brown, the Foreign Office minister, said: "We have offered our immediate support to relief efforts through the UN and stand ready to provide more assistance when required."
The Pope appealed for immediate international aid for those stricken by the disaster in Bangladesh.
"In renewing my deep condolences to the families and the entire nation, which is very dear to me, I appeal to international solidarity," he said.
"I encourage all possible efforts to help these brothers who are suffering so much."
wow...didn’t realize it was that bad
prayers up
It’s sad, but in the aftermath of each of these major killer storms, thousands and thousands more will rush right back into the low-laying areas of the country — right in the natural path of these typhoons — because it is some of the richest farmland in the world.
Just a look at the map shows how the land shape effectively channels the storms right up the Bay of Bengal and into Bangladesh.
No doubt, however, this will all be blamed of global warming and George Bush anyhow.
Wow. Probably should be on the sidebar
Oh well, it was Allah's will. Can't (because that would be against the law) argue with that.
We will rush aid into the area (as we always do) and it will NOT be reported accurately if at all.
We already have 3,500 Marines on the way, if not already there.
All aid money will go toward shiny new mosks and weapons for Allah’s cause. The only aid that will filter down to those who need it will require a change of religion. Of course it won’t be reported accurately. These atrocities, missuses of foreign aid and emergency food rations by Islamic jihadists were never mentioned in the Sudan and Nigeria, why would western media expose the “ROP” and how it exploits even the worst natural disasters to advance Allahs cause now?
I hope they use extreme caution. That place and surrounding areas is some of the worst Islamic extremist infested region there is in India.
Bangladesh isn't exactly crawling with international Islamic terrorists, particularly relative to its enormous population. May have been some connection to a couple of attacks in India but nothing worldwide.
They seem to have a few smallish Islamic terrorist groups, but many were captured and hung last year.
Umm...Bangladesh isn't in India.
Without googling, list everything you know about Bangladesh.
The article tells me that 15,000 people died, and thousand have lost their mother, father, brother, sister, relative, fiance, best friend, etc. The mourning must be massive. Prayers will follow - but where to start?
To God?
I’m sure we’ll read that the generous Saudis will donate millions of their dollars to help their Muslim neighbors. Maybe in next week’s paper...
May God comfort and shield these suffering families.
RIYADH, Nov 18 (KUNA) -- Saudi King Abudllah Bin Abdel Aziz has ordered 100 million dollars in urgent aid for Bangladesh to help cope with losses resulting from the deadly cyclone, according to a statement issued by the Royal Court on Sunday. The urgent assistance, to be sent aboard aircraft, includes food and medical supplies.
I am glad to see one Islamic Nation pony up to help Bangladesh...I get tired of using my tax money to help nations that only wish to destroy my country and my religion. There is enough money in the Islamic world to help them out anyway without our help.
Considering the extreme poverty of the region, most of the deaths and suffering will probably occur over the next few months, as the economic consequences of the storm result in starvation for more than a few people.
Wow. A day’s pay.
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