USAID/OFDA Cyclone Sidr Situation Report #2: USAID/DART's

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 001830 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SES-O DEPT FOR SCA/PB, SCA/EX DCHA/OFDA FOR ROBERT THAYER AID/W FOR AA MARK WARD AND ANE ANNE DIX DCHA/FFP FOR MATTHEW NIMS AND PAUL NOVICK ROME FOR FODAG BANGKOK FOR RDM/A TOM DOLAN, ROB BARTON KATHMANDU FOR USAID OFDA BILL BERGER AND SUE MCINTYRE TREASURY FOR ELIZABETH WEISS AND SUSAN CHUN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PREL ASEC CASC AMGT SOCI ECON PINR EAGR SENV BG SUBJECT: USAID/OFDA Cyclone Sidr Situation Report #2: USAID/DART's Initial Humanitarian Assessments on the Impact of Cyclone Sidr in Southern Bangladesh REF: A) DHAKA 1815 ¶1. Summary. Storm surge from Tropical Cyclone Sidr has affected more than 1.5 million families in Bangladesh as of November 22. Although the Government of Bangladesh's (GOB) early warning and preparedness programs have significantly reduced the humanitarian impact of the cyclone, severe rainfall and strong winds from the storm have caused nearly 3,000 reported deaths and extensive damage to homes, property, agricultural fields, and fisheries. In order to provide emergency assistance to Bangladesh, five staff members from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) are currently in country as USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART). In the coming days, five additional USAID/OFDA staff will arrive in Bangladesh to support the U.S. Mission team in responding to Cyclone Sidr. End Summary. -------------- -------------- HUMANITARIAN CONDITIONS IN CYCLONE-AFFECTED AREAS -------------- -------------- ¶2. On November 15, 2007, Tropical Cyclone Sidr made landfall in southern Bangladesh with winds of 155 miles per hour. Rainfall and flooding resulting from the storm damaged infrastructure and destroyed homes, particularly affecting the southern coastal districts of Barguna, Bagerhat, Patuakhali, and Pirojpur. As of November 21, the GOB's Disaster Management Bureau and the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) reported that the cyclone had killed 2,982 people, led to the disappearance of 1,724 others, and damaged nearly 1.2 million homes. In addition, heavy rains from the storms destroyed 1.6 million acres of agricultural lands, negatively impacting local food security and livelihoods. As more information becomes available through continuing humanitarian assessments, aid agencies believe that actual numbers of people killed and missing may be higher than GOB figures. ¶3. Aid organizations report that immediate needs vary from village to village. While food and potable water are the most pressing humanitarian needs for cyclone-affected families in coastal districts, communities further inland need agricultural recovery and livelihoods assistance. Coupled with the damage from the recent floods and high prices of fuel on the international market, economic devastation caused by Cyclone Sidr is impacting the livelihoods of affected residents particularly in agricultural production and the fishing industry. ¶4. Local media sources indicate that Bangladesh military relief teams are currently reaching 70 percent of the affected areas. However, access remains problematic for aid agencies gathering information and distributing emergency relief supplies. For example, in Bagerhat District, where victims of Cyclone Sidr are in critical need of safe drinking water, aid agencies have confronted difficulties in accessing affected communities. In addition, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) report that several sandbar islands in southern Bangladesh continue to experience drinking water shortages, with islands off the coast of Patuakhali and Baufal reporting acute water shortages. However, due to ongoing challenges in accessing these areas, NGOs lack comprehensive information on cyclone-affected communities living in the sandbar islands. ¶5. The USAID/DART team reports that food assistance remains one of the most vital humanitarian concerns. WFP has committed 171 metric DHAKA 00001830 002 OF 003 tons (MT) of high energy biscuits to Save the Children for distribution to affected areas. The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) is also providing high energy biscuits for lactating mothers and children under two years of age. WFP, the lead agency of the U.N. food cluster, is currently drawing together information on emergency food needs, which will become available in the coming days. -------------- USAID/DART ASSESSMENT AND RESPONSE -------------- ¶6. Additional staff from USAID/OFDA will arrive in Dhaka to support the U.S. Mission in Bangladesh. The USAID/DART Team Leader, a program officer, food officer, communications officer, and an administrative officer will arrive from November 22 to 25. ¶7. On November 21, the USAID/DART Acting Team Leader participated in a helicopter assessment of cyclone-affected areas along with the heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations. The group observed the distribution of relief activities in Patharghata upazila in Barguna District and Sharankhula upazila in Bagerhat District and also conducted an aerial assessment of cyclone-affected areas of Kalapara, Kuakata, and Sundarban. The regional advisor witnessed widespread destruction due to Cyclone Sidr, including decimated agricultural fields, destroyed homes, and trees snapped in half. In the upazila of Patharghata, the Bangladesh military reported that the cyclone affected approximately 985,000 people, who have experienced significant loss of homes, livestock, and other personal property. Immediate humanitarian needs include food, potable water, shelter, and winter clothing. In Sharankhula, the USAID/OFDA advisor reported that the number of beneficiaries present at the distribution site exceeded the quantity of relief commodities, leading to frantic crowds of people grabbing the supplies. The Bangladesh army curbed these incidents of unrest and commotion. ¶8. On November 21, USAID/OFDA's shelter and livelihoods advisor departed Dhaka to travel to Barisal District in southern Bangladesh. The advisor will meet with implementing partners, assess humanitarian conditions on the ground, participate in distributions of emergency relief commodities with implementing partners, and identify key areas for USAID/OFDA support. The advisor also plans to visit Patuakhali during the field assessment. ¶9. On November 22, USAID/OFDA's water, sanitation, and hygiene advisor traveled with the Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team (HAST) assessment mission to visit cyclone-affected areas of Barisal, Galachipa, Kalapara, Barguna, and Patharghata. The advisor will assess water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions, meet with implementing partners, and identify gaps in relief activities where USAID/OFDA could provide assistance. ¶10. On November 21, the USAID/DART military liaison officer (MLO) coordinated with HAST staff and the U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer (RSO) to facilitate movement of joint USAID and HAST assessment teams to southern Bangladesh. On November 22, the USAID/Bangladesh Mission Director and USAID/DART MLO met with the incoming U.S. military relief task force commander, Brigadier General Bailey, and HAST team commander to discuss potential U.S. military support for the relief operation and to establish coordination mechanisms. DHAKA 00001830 003 OF 003 -------------- GOB RELIEF EFFORTS -------------- ¶10. On November 21, the Bangladesh Air Force sent 18 missions carrying 51 MT of relief items to cyclone affected areas. As of November 22, the GOB had also provided 7,070 MT of rice, 27,000 bags of emergency food aid, 18,000 blankets, 7,500 tents, 3,300 utensils, and 13,000 bundles of corrugated iron sheets to assist affected populations. The GOB also held a Disaster and Emergency Response coordination meeting on November 22. -------------- INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE -------------- ¶11. International donors, U.N. agencies, and financial institutions continue to pledge relief for victims of Cyclone Sidr. On November 21, the World Bank announced $250 million for relief and rehabilitation activities in affected areas. ¶12. According to local media sources, on November 21, two aircraft carrying emergency relief commodities from Pakistan landed in Dhaka, while two additional aircraft carrying facilities for a 30-bed field hospital will arrive on November 22. An Indian aircraft carrying more than 38 tons of relief supplies is also scheduled to arrive on November 22. PASI