Rotarians seek aid for cyclone victims
By Lisa Baker
Rotary International News - 14 December 2007
District 3280 seeks aid for victims after Cyclone Sidr rips through Bangladesh in November.
In the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr’s destruction in Bangladesh, Rotarians in District 3280 are seeking aid for victims of the 15 November disaster.
The cyclone killed 3,347 people, left 880 missing, and injured more than 34,000. Currently, 35,000 residents are living in camps. In all, more than eight million people were affected and 365,000 homes destroyed.
The storm swept away roads, bridges, and electrical towers, damage that has delayed the relief effort. Clean water and food are limited, and heat and humidity have increased the risk of disease.
Immediate needs in Bangladesh include food, medical care, shelter, and water. Furthermore, to restore residents’ livelihoods, the fisheries and agricultural sector must be rehabilitated.
Local Rotarians have donated US$7,000 to the relief fund established by Bangladesh’s Armed Forces Division, which is leading the aid effort in inaccessible areas. The district is now collecting money to provide food, blankets, clothing, construction materials, a portable water treatment plant, and temporary shelter.
District 3280 also wants to help with reforestation in the Sundarbans. The cyclone devastated this UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to one of the largest mangrove forests in the world.
Read a condolence letter from RI President Wilfrid J.Wilkinson and Foundation Trustee Chair Robert S. Scott.
To contribute to this relief and recovery effort, please make checks payable to the District 3280 Disaster Relief Fund and mail them to:
Trust Bank Ltd. Millennium Corporate Branch
Dhaka
Bangladesh
For more information or to arrange for an electronic transfer contact: Rafiq Ahmed Siddique, District 3280 District Governor.
Find more information on this disaster and others at www.reliefweb.org .