Nearly 9 million people still affected one month after the disaster struck; climate change threatens to bring more strong cyclones
DHAKA (December 13, 2007) - One month after cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh, 8.9 million people still urgently need shelter, safe water and food. They also require new sources of income as shrimp farms and rice paddies have been contaminated with salty water and ruined.
"CARE Bangladesh Emergency Response Team (ERT) deployed staff and relief items close to the affected areas before the cyclone hit. We were able to make a rapid assessment and identify damage and needs. Through this advance preparation, we were able to address all four basic areas of immediate need: temporary shelter, drinking water, food and medical support," said Sajedul Hasan, Emergency Response Coordinator for CARE Bangladesh.
It is also important to help people develop a strategy to sustain their livelihoods during natural disasters such as cyclones and floods. "Climate change is affecting the intensity of cyclones in the Bay of Bengal, so we have to expect more strong cyclones like Sidr as well as floods. And it will be the poor, who will suffer most from it," Sajedul Hasan said.
"While governments are meeting in Bali to negotiate a long-term response to climate change, many people - like those affected by Sidr - remain in desperate need of attention today," said Charles Ehrhart, CARE's climate change coordinator who is currently participating at the United Nations Climate Change conference in Bali, Indonesia.
Climate change hits Bangladesh from various angles: Most of the country's land mass lies hardly one meter above sea level, 20 percent are on the same level. With sea level rising and more intense cyclones threatening the country, the World Bank predicts that 10 percent of Bangladesh's land mass risks submerging. Furthermore, the melting of the Himalayan glaciers will bring more severe seasonal flooding to the northern parts of one of the poorest countries in the world.
Just three months before Cyclone Sidr hit southern Bangladesh, the northern part of the country experienced the worst floods in July-August, 2007 with 10.6 million people affected. "Poor people who live in the low-lying parts of Bangladesh need help adapting to the challenges posed by climate change. International funding is going to be necessary," Ehrhart said. "This is a large part of what CARE is fighting for here in Bali. It now is certain that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Adaptation Fund will - after long delays - become operational. However, under current arrangements, it won't be able to provide nearly enough resources to meet critical needs. Nor are there sufficient precautions put in place to ensure that it will reach the people that need it most." The UN Development Program estimates that $86 billion will be needed by 2015 to meet adaptation needs in poor countries.
CARE's Response to Cyclone Sidr:
CARE's response has shifted from a relief to recovery phase, aiming to reach 85,000 families by distributing food, cleaning water sources and generating income activities through cash-for-work programs in the next three months. During its relief phase, CARE distributed basic food supplies to 62,000 families, roughly 414,000 people. A further 27,337 families have received essential items such as plastic sheets and ropes to build temporary shelters. Four water purification plants are continuing to filter 10,000 litres of water per day, and mobile medical teams have treated 29,116 people.
Media Contacts:
Atlanta: Lurma Rackley, CARE USA, lrackley@care.org, (404) 979-9450
Bangladesh: Jamil Ahmed, CARE Bangladesh, jamil@carebangladesh.org, 0088-01552-314170