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Anticipatory Action to mitigate the impact of cyclone Remal in southern Bangladesh
In May 2024, the World Food Programme (WFP), in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, successfully implemented an Anticipatory Action (AA) activation to protect lives and livelihoods in anticipation of cyclone Remal in Bangladesh's southern coastal regions. The activation covered five districts: Khulna, Satkhira, Barguna, Patuakhali, and Bhola.
WFP's actions during this activation were guided by the Interagency Anticipatory Action Framework, approved by the United Nations (UN) Emergency Relief Coordinator at the request of the Bangladesh UN Resident Coordinator in September 2023. The CERF funds were not activated for the cyclone Remal. The action framework was followed, while only WFP activated. These actions were informed by lessons learned from previous AA activations in the country.
Cyclone Remal, the first pre-monsoon cyclone of the 2024 season in the Bay of Bengal, prompted the Government of Bangladesh to issue cyclone signal number 10, out of a maximum of 11, underscoring the storm’s severity. During the initiation of the low-pressure area at the Bay of Bengal on May, 22, the Anticipatory Action Technical Working Group (AA TWG) worked closely with the government-led Forecast-Based Action Task Force under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. Supported by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, Flood Forecasting Warning Center and Cyclone Preparedness Programme, this group monitored and issued cyclone forecasts using national and international meteorological models. These enabled the development of effective warnings and informed decision-making processes as per the National Early Action protocol.
Anticipatory action triggers, based on the forecasted wind speed and location, were reached in May 25, approximately 24 hours before the cyclone's landfall. More than ten organization implemented coordinated anticipatory actions in six coastal districts to support the most vulnerable population with early warning dissemination, evacuation, transportation, Water, Sanitation and Hygine (WASH) support, and safety measures. This brief window also allowed WFP’s internal processes to initiate the following anticipatory actions across eleven upazilas in five of the affected districts:
1. Distribution of anticipatory cash assistance to 30,000 families. Each household received US$43 (BDT 5,000) through bKash, a Bank-led Mobile Financial Service Provider partnering with WFP. This assistance helped families prepare for and recover from the storm by enabling them to seek safe refuge, transport valuable assets, and procure essential items like food, medicines, and cattle feed. Some families used the funds to reinforce their homes and arrange transportation to safer locations.
2. Dissemination of Early Warning (EW) messages to more than three million people via radio, TVs and miking across the coastal areas. These messages complemented the cash distribution and evacuation support coordinated with local government authorities, aligning with the Cyclone Preparedness Programme managed by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.
These anticipatory actions were aimed at 1) increasing households' and communities' access to timely early warning information so they could use it to make decisions related to cyclone risk management and 2) ensuring supported households can protect their lives and livelihood assets to mitigate impacts on food security.
The Government of Germany and Ireland's multi-year funding and investments in anticipatory action systems have made this collaborative implementation possible.