By Nizam Ahmed
DHAKA, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Bangladesh prepared on Sunday for a major U.S.-assisted airlift of relief supplies to survivors without adequate aid nine days after a devastating cyclone.
A total of 92 helipads have been built in the worst-hit coastal villages and helicopters from U.S. warships are assisting Bangladeshi aircraft, said Bangladesh's army chief, General Moeen U. Ahmed.
Moeen said the U.S. navy ships would conduct relief operations in coordination with the Bangladesh government. Relief officials said two U.S. warships would start full-fledged operations from Monday.
"If we can utilise the huge capabilities of the U.S. ships, we can successfully conduct a useful relief operation for the survivors," Moeen said.
Cyclone Sidr, which hit the impoverished South Asian country on Nov. 15, killed about 3,500 people, left thousands missing or injured, and displaced some 2 million.
Despite intensified relief operations by the government and local and foreign groups, thousands of survivors hoping for food were crowding river banks and roadsides, witnesses said.
The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge was in Bangladeshi waters to assist the authorities and another ship, the USS Essex, was due to arrive soon, U.S. embassy officials said.
Each ship carries about 20 helicopters, which will help in delivering water, food and medical supplies to remote areas in the south and southwestern regions, officials said.
A pair of Marine helicopters carried 750 gallons (3,410 litres) of bottled water flew on Saturday from the USS Kearsarge to the southern coastal city Barisal, marking the first delivery of aid by the U.S. military.
Thousands of hungry survivors continued to throng river banks and roadsides in cyclone-torn coastal areas, reporters at the scene said.
Many of the survivors came from remote areas hoping for food handouts from the government and non-governmental organisations, which often do not visit remote areas lacking road communications.
COORDINATION
Moeen called for coordination in relief operations.
"Please coordinate with us, so that we can dispatch your relief goods to the survivors who need it most," Moeen told local donors.
"Coordination among relief distributors is a problem," Heather Blackwell, Bangladesh representative of British charity Oxfam, told Reuters after visiting some of the worst-hit areas.
Bangladesh's air force, flying relief sorties with 13 helicopters and planes, was unable to cope with all the problems in the cyclone-hit areas, officials said.
Cyclone Sidr struck Bangladesh within three months of devastating monsoon floods that killed over 1,000 people, made millions homeless and destroyed huge crops during July-August.
Blaming global warming for the frequent natural disasters, C.S. Karim, environment and agriculture adviser to the interim government, called on the donors "to take steps to reduce green house gas emission."
"Climate change will inundate parts of Bangladesh, make millions homeless and increase food deficit in the country," Karim told a meeting of Western donor representatives. (Additional reporting by Masud Karim; Editing by Charles Dick)