Bangladesh cyclone 2007
The situation
The massive loss and damage to crops – estimated at between 50 - 95 per cent in coastal zones – will have immediate and long-term devastating effects on the country. Bangladesh had already lost crops in northern and central areas after severe floods in July. Oxfam fears the combined impact of these two disasters on one of the world's poorest countries could be massive.Donate now to Oxfam's Bangladesh Cyclone Appeal
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The cyclone damaged power and communications networks, killed livestock and caused tidal surges which swept away scores of people.Many people have been returning to their homes from the evacuation shelters, only to find their houses are devastated. They have been assembling make-shift housing from the debris or sleeping in the open-air.
"There are many villages in remote areas, including on sandbank islands, that are yet to be reached. We don't know the losses sustained in those regions. It could take weeks before we know exactly how bad this cyclone was."– Heather Blackwell, Head of Oxfam International in Bangladesh
Oxfam's response
Before the cyclone struck, around 1,000 volunteers from our Bangladeshi partner organizations helped to evacuate villagers.We are currently coordinating and sharing information with the Bangladeshi government. Through our local partner organizations, we have started delivering aid in some of the worst affected districts in southern Bangladesh. Part of our work includes giving cash in return for clean-up work - mobilizing people to remove debris and clear out water points and sanitation facilities.
What next?
In addition to our field work, Oxfam carried out focus groups and discussions with cyclone survivors, aid workers, government officials and others involved in the relief effort. Estimates by the government and aid agencies show that 264,958 families (or 1,324,790 people) remain in need of transitional shelters anddo not have any capacity to cope on their own.
Our latest briefing note "After the cyclone: lessons from a disaster" describes what needs to be done now in order to ensure an appropriate and effective response to the disaster.
