Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Four days since cyclone Sidr slammed into southern Bangladesh the human and economic losses are reaching catastrophic proportions. Some areas are still inaccessible to rescue teams. The death toll from the cyclone, the worst in the last ten years, is expected to reach 5,000-10,000 people according to the country’s Red Crescent Society. In some areas 95 per cent of the rice harvest as well as farms and cattle literally have been wiped out.
Human losses
Cyclone Sidr is known to have killed 2,750 people so far, but at least six to seven million people were affected by it, a quarter of whom forced to flee their homes. Another 1,500 have been injured and a thousand are still missing, numbers that are bound to rise.
“Based on our experience in the past and reports from the scene, I would suggest the death toll may be as high as 10,000,” M Abdur Rob, chairman of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, said.
From the capital Dhaka, missionaries with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) report that a few villages in Galachipa district have been razed to the ground.
“Some areas are still isolated and one can see helicopters dropping bags of rice and people crowding around the drop zones to get help.”
Caritas as well as the international community are already involved with local partners to bring aid.
Each NGO has to operate in a sector assigned by the government and cannot intervene in other places.
“The problem is that there are some areas that are not covered by any NGO and depend exclusively on government aid, which is slow too often,” some humanitarian workers said.
At present we are still in the search and rescue phase. Food, tents, drinking water and medicine are still in short supply.
The risk of epidemics is by contrast very high. Animal carcasses are contaminating the water and the government has issue an order to cremate all corpses to avoid contagion. In the Dublarchar area the first cases of dysentery have been reported.
Economic losses
The tally of economic losses remains provisional, but the cyclone is known to have destroyed 600,000 tonnes of rice, making the 1,600,000 tonnes seasonal target now impossible to reach. The caretaker government is set to release an official estimate of the losses by the end of the week.
Time is needed to assess the overall losses because many areas remain remote, inaccessible because of the collapse of communication links.
The government in Dhaka is expected to release a report next week at a donors’ conference. The latter have already pledged around US$ 25 million in aid.
The population’s strength
In Barguna, one of the worst hit areas, residents have been sleeping in the open for the past few days. A local paper, The Daily Star, reports that some people are begging for a glass of water, complaining about the lack of government aid.
From Majher Killa, Dublarchar, eyewitnesses are relating stories of people trying to put together the few things that survived, even if only to build a temporary shelter.
Some have salvaged some dried fish, putting it on rooftops to dry out.
Others are walking around looking for relatives or their bodies to bury with some dignity.
PIME missionaries are impressed by the “great strength” these people have shown, facing their tragedy with great dignity.
“People have great resilience and are able to survive three or four days without food,” said Fr Carlo Dotti.
“It is a country used to natural disasters where everyone gets involved in rescue operations and in getting aid for their families directly,” he added.
PIME, which is present in the country in some areas, has started a fund-raising campaign in favour of Bangladesh. Payment with description to S 107 CICLONE BANGLADESH can be made as indicated below. Direct online donations will be possible tomorrow on PIME’s Website at www.pimemilano.com
PIME MILAN
1. Cash: directly at the PIME’s Mission Help Office in via Mosè Bianchi, 94 – 20149 Milan (Tel: 02-438201)
2. Check or bank draft: made out to PIMEdit Onlus, via Mosè Bianchi, 94 – 20149 Milan.
3. Post Office Account: Nº 39208202 made out to PIMEdit Onlus, via Mosè Bianchi, 94 – 20149 Milan.
4. Postal Money Order sent to PIMEdit Onlus, via Mosè Bianchi, 94 – 20149 Milan.
5. Bank Transfer: Account Nº 5733 made out to PIMEdit ONLUS Credito Artigiano – P.za San Fedele - Milano (IBAN IT10N0351201601000000005733).
Please, always send a fax to 02-4695193 or an e-mail to uam@pimemilano.com to confirm the bank transfer, specifying name, surname and address for tax credit purposes.
6. Credit Card (Visa, Cartasì, Mastercard) by phone at 02-438201
PIME ROME
Post Office Account: Nº 45443009 made out to Pontificio Istituto Missioni Estere, via Guerrazzi, 11 – 00152 Roma; description of payment: CICLONE BANGLADESH.
