After Amphan: Thousands in need of aid
After Cyclone Amphan barrelled through Bangladesh almost two weeks ago, Red Crescent teams have reached more than 30,000 people, but thousands more are in need of further humanitarian assistance.
Now that the urgency is becoming clearer, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) have launched an emergency appeal to donors for 5 million Swiss francs (Tk 44.39 crore) to provide emergency assistance to 50,000 people in Bangladesh severely affected by the cyclone, said a joint press statement.
Cyclone Amphan made landfall on the coasts of West Bengal, India on May 20, and then entered Bangladesh with wind speeds of up to 150 kmph, heavy rain and tidal surges that caused huge devastation in 26 districts across the country.
Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Secretary General Feroz Salah Uddin said, "Thousands of people now need humanitarian support as they are living in temporary shelters with limited access to food, safe water and toilets after the cyclone has passed. Their livelihoods are also greatly affected and many of them do not know how to get back on their feet."
More than 350,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed, alongside more than 176,000 hectares of farmland including standing crops, vegetable and fruit, thousands of trees have been uprooted and fish farms worth approximately 36 million US dollars have been damaged. Tidal surges caused the collapse of embankments and inundations of salt water, causing a scarcity of safe drinking water and putting the lives of thousands at risk of waterborne diseases, the press release added.
IFRC Head of Bangladesh Country Office Azmat Ulla said, "Our early actions have saved many lives before the cyclone and now we are speeding up our response efforts so that these people can have access to basic needs and stay healthy.
"With this emergency appeal, our aim is not only to provide emergency relief but also to improve the physical, social, environmental and economic conditions to create a more resilient community in an effective and efficient way."
The funding will support Bangladesh Red Crescent in providing food, safe drinking water, shelter and hygiene items, cash grants, as well as help renovate damaged health clinics to benefit some of the most vulnerable people, including those living in temporary or makeshift shelters.
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is also making the situation more complex as people who have been displaced by the cyclone have limited access to handwashing and other hygiene facilities, increasing the risk of spreading the virus further.
As part of their response, Bangladesh Red Crescent teams have taken preventive measures to help contain the spread of Covid-19 including distributing hygiene information and advice, wearing personal protective equipment, and providing appropriate hygiene materials such as masks and hand sanitisers to people in shelters, the press release added.
The IFRC Cyclone Amphan emergency appeal will support Bangladesh Red Crescent response for the next 12 months.
Comments