BANGLADESH: Residents rebuild their destroyed houses as relief reaches Bangladesh cyclone victims

Residents begin rebuilding their homes across Bangladesh after Cyclone Sidr left widespread destruction in its wake and killed nearly 3,500 people. Nearly a week after a cyclone killed thousands along the Bangladesh coast, relief workers say they have been able to get food, medicine and other provisions to most of the millions affected. A huge relief operation by civil authorities and the army, navy and airforce is running at full speed after roads blocked by trees have been cleared and electricity and communication lines restored, said a relief official. Cyclone Sidr struck a large area of southern Bangladesh last Thursday (November 15) with winds of 250 kph (155 mph) and a 5-metre high sea surge, leaving a trail of devastation. Nearly 3,500 people were killed. It was the worst disaster in the low-lying country since 1991, when a cyclone and storm surge killed about 143,000 people. Army chief General Moeen U. Ahmed said troops were coordinating relief operations to ensure no further deaths in the cyclone's aftermath. But almost a week after the storm, human and animal corpses were still being recovered from rivers, canals and trampled rice fields, reporters visiting the coastal districts said. In the village of Fasiatala residents tried to rebuild their houses on Thursday (November 22) out of the rubble left in the wake of the storm. Many of the villagers lost loved ones to the force of the cyclone. Maina Begum nearly lost her daughter. "The storm destroyed all the village and our homes. There is nothing left for us. The surge of water took all our belongings into the river. During the storm we took shelter in the house of another family and one of my daughters went missing. On the next day I got her back," she explained. Officials said emergency aid was pouring in from all over the the world, with the latest being 250 million U.S. dollars offered by the World Bank. It was the single largest aid offer after the King of Saudi Arabia pledged 100 million U.S. dollars on Monday (November 19). Bangladesh has also received aid offers totalling 90 million U.S. dollars from other countries and agencies, officials said. The United States has already sent two C-130 transport aircraft, while two U.S. naval vessels were on the way to Bangladesh, the U.S. embassy said. Bangladesh army officials said they were sorting out operational details for U.S. planes, which arrived with 35 tonnes of hygiene kits, blankets and other supplies from the United States late on Sunday (November 18). Relief operators in the affected districts said supplies were still inadequate.

ITN Source | November 22, 2007

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