The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) is a source of un-earmarked money created by the IFRC in 1985 to ensure that immediate financial support is available for Red Cross and Red Crescent emergency response. The DREF is a vital part of the IFRC's disaster response system and increases the ability of National Societies to respond to disasters.
CHF 125,874 (USD 113,575 or EUR 91,697) allocated from IFRC's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on 22 June to support the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) in delivering immediate assistance to 1,300 families (approximately 6,500 people).
Period covered by this update: 29 June to 19 July 2010.
Summary:
On 15 June 2010, a series of mudslides and flash floods in two of the south eastern districts of Bangladesh: Cox's Bazaar and Banderban, killed at least 55 people. Thousands of houses collapsed leaving people homeless. Excessive rainfall also damaged standing crops and shrimp cultivation farms. For first few days roads and communication systems in Cox's Bazaar were disrupted as most of the roads remained inundated.
The BDRCS branch in Cox's Bazaar immediately responded to the disaster by providing search and rescue support to the local authorities and distributing dry food items and drinking water among the affected people.
BDRCS and IFRC's DIPECHO programme staff members conducted a rapid assessment. Following the assessment findings, BDRCS and IFRC selected 1,300 families. In the first round of distributions BDRCS distributed non-food item (NFI) packages along with shelter materials. This was completed in June 2010.
A second round of distribution started from 14 July and ended on 17 July 2010. BDRCS and IFRC distributed supplementary food packages and kitchen sets to the same 1,300 families in the Teknaf and Ukhia upazilas, in the Cox's Bazaar district by 17 July 2010.