Bangladesh/Myanmar: Floods and Landslides - Jun 2007

Executive summary

This discussion paper demonstrates that climate-induced non-economic loss and damage (NELD) includes forms of damage that cannot be measured or compensated financially. It includes loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, land, territories, artefacts, life, health, knowledge, social cohesion, identity, and sovereignty, and it ultimately causes migration and displacement.

Sirajganj, Bangladesh─ When the rain-swollen Jamuna River breached its banks and inundated Sirajganj town 4 years ago, the streets were under knee-deep water, forcing shutdowns of businesses and schools. Even after the rain stopped, the floodwaters took more than 2 months to recede. Roads were ravaged and the town’s poor drainage system ceased to function. Residents returned to homes that were no longer fit to live in.

GENEVA, 18 December 2009 - Five years after an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia triggered a massive tsunami that spread throughout the Indian Ocean, UNICEF issued a report summarizing the results of its relief and recovery programmes in the eight affected countries.

View report: Tsunami Report 5 Year Anniversary

The tragic events of December 26, 2004 caused destruction on an unprecedented scale. Nearly 230,000 people were killed - the majority of them women and children.

Overview

The December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake off the coast of Indonesia triggered a massive tsunami that spread throughout the Indian Ocean, leaving nearly 230,000 dead or missing and devastating communities.

This report covers the period 01 July to 31 December 2008.

In brief

Programme purpose: As outlined in the 2008-09 plan, the aim of the International Federation South Asia regional office is to increase the capacity of the South Asian national societies to provide services that improve the lives of vulnerable people.

Programme(s) summary: In the second half of 2008, one of the key areas of support provided by the International Federation to national societies was in responding to the monsoon flooding in Pakistan, India and Nepal and the earthquake in Baluchistan (Pakistan). Besides …

DHAKA, Sep 22, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX News Network) -- Bangladesh's undernourished population has increased by 7.3 million, largely because of the impact of higher food prices and the damage of paddy by disasters last year, The Daily Star reported Monday.

A report of FAO and WFP was quoted by the leading English newspaper as saying that the number of the country's undernourished population has increased from 39.6 million to 46.9 million.

The report said, as a result of rising food prices and general inflation, more than half of the country's 145 million population is now …

This report covers the period 01/01/2008 to 30/06/2008.

In brief

Programme purpose:

The four programme goals that reflect the four Global Agenda goals are:

1. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) disaster management (DM) programme is capable of rendering effective services to reduce vulnerability in disaster-prone areas, thereby contributing to achieve the characteristics of a well functioning national society (Global Agenda goal 1).

2.

DHAKA, Jul 14, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX News Network) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other development partners will provide 340 million U.S.

Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed directed energy officials to discuss with the business people and power officials the issue of gas rationing for industries and closing down energy inefficient power units to divert gas to efficient units.

DHAKA, Jul 12, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX News Network) -- The Bangladeshi caretaker government Saturday approved the purchase of 100,000 tons of wheat at 419 U.S.

DHAKA, Jul 06, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX News Network) -- The Bangladesh government is working to set up a trust fund of about 4 billion U.S. dollars for long- term disaster management, leading English daily The Financial Express reported Sunday.

"A joint government-donor assessment showed that a 4 billion U.

Dhaka, June 24, 2008 - Praful Patel, World Bank Vice President for South Asia, concluded a two-day visit to Bangladesh, in which he affirmed the World Bank will help the country deal with rising food prices.

"The sharp rise in food prices has had serious impact on food consumption and nutrition levels of poor people in Bangladesh," said Patel. "It is crucially important that the significant gains in poverty reduction achieved here are not eroded by high food prices.

WASHINGTON, June 17, 2008 - The World Bank today approved two budget support operations worth US$320 million to assist the Government of Bangladesh implement its wide-ranging governance, economic policy, and energy reform agenda.

The US$200 million Transitional Support Credit (TSC) is designed to help reduce pressure on the country's current budget, staggering under the impact of the twin natural disasters of flooding and cyclone Sidr last year as well as the shocks of rising commodity prices, particularly oil, food, and fertilizer.

Period covered by this Operations Update: 17 March to 18 May 2008

Appeal target: CHF 7.1 million (USD 5.9 million or EUR 4.3 million)

Appeal coverage: 66%; Outstanding needs: CHF 2.3 million (USD 2,194,390 or EUR 1,440,069).

Appeal history:

- An Emergency Appeal launched on 3 July 2007 for CHF 842,257 (USD 684,762 or EUR 510,459) for six months to assist 133,255 beneficiaries.

- Emergency Appeal revised on 16 August 2007 to focus on the floods.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) released $272.34 million from the Disaster Relief Fund to provide immediate relief to people in distress outside Hong Kong in the year ending March 31, 2008.

In response to appeals made by governments and international relief organisations, grants were disbursed for the early relief of victims in places outside Hong Kong hard-hit by major disasters.

For 2007-08, assistance was given through 22 relief projects operated by seven relief organisations to help needy victims tide over the calamities that had befallen them.

This is the final report for the 2006-07 Appeal. It covers the period 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2007.

In a world of global challenges, continued poverty, inequity, and increasing vulnerability to disasters and disease, the International Federation with its global network, works to accomplish its Global Agenda, partnering with local community and civil society to prevent and alleviate human suffering from disasters, diseases and public health emergencies.

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Mr. Thomas Rumbaugh, Advisor in the Asia and Pacific Department of the IMF, visited Bangladesh during April 22-27 to review recent economic developments and the outlook for the FY09(1) budget.

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh, April 26 (Reuters) - Bangladesh deployed troops at a dumping site near the country's main Chittagong port on Saturday to stop poor people from collecting rotten rice, officials said.

"The dumping site has been cordoned, and the relevant authorities have been asked not to dump rotten rice at unrestricted spots anymore," a security official said.

Hundreds of poor people thronged the dumping site as the Food Department started ditching some 500 tonnes of damaged rice on Friday.

Nearly half of Bangladesh's 140 million people live on an income …

By Masud Karim

DHAKA, April 14 (Reuters) - Abdul Majid has been forced to move 22 times in as many years, a victim of the annual floods that ravage Bangladesh.

There are millions like Majid, 65, in Bangladesh and in the future there could be many millions more if scientists' predictions of rising seas and more intense droughts and storms come true.

"Bangladesh is already facing consequences of a sea level rise, including salinity and unusual height of tidal water," said Mizanur Rahman, a research fellow with the London-based International Institute for Environmental …

DHAKA, 14 April 2008 (IRIN) - Over the past week the retail price of rice has held steady, offering a welcome reprieve to anxious consumers and government officials alike, and on 14 April the wholesale price of coarse rice came down by 15-45 US cents per 37.32 kg bag.

But in Dhaka long queues continued outside government open market sales (OMS) centres - established whenever a food crisis or food price increases loom.