Cyclone Mora: UN agencies closely working with government, India hands over relief

Cyclone Mora has received wide attention from different United Nations agencies and neighbour India in what can be described as a magnificent example of coordination, solidarity and human empathy.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 2 June 2017, 07:33 AM
Updated : 2 June 2017, 07:42 AM

Over 200,000 people have been displaced by the cyclone, while six were killed and 136 injured, according to a UN statement.

The already disadvantaged Rohingya community, who are taking refuge in Bangladesh to escape genocide in neighbouring Myanmar, were particularly hit hard, according to the UN.

It is estimated that 60-70 percent of homes and infrastructure in five Rohingya camps were damaged, and people living there are now short of food, fuel and electricity.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is providing emergency hospital tents to the affected camps, and is aiming to provide waterproof plastic sheeting to affected families.

The International Organisation for Migration is providing shelter and emergency healthcare, and is supervising repairs to damaged health facilities and sanitation services.

The World Food Programme is providing emergency food rations and large quantities of dry biscuits until regular food supply resumes, while the United Nations Children’s Fund is supplying hygiene kits, water purification tablets, and recreation kits for affected refugee and migrant children.

The United Nations Population Fund is providing high-quality medical care to pregnant women, new mothers and their newborn children in the camps.

“I am relieved that damage was not more severe but there is a great urgency to respond quickly to the needs of the affected population, especially to replace severely damaged rudimentary homes,” said Robert Watkins, UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Indian offshore patrol vessel INS Sumitra conducted search and rescue operation in coordination with Bangladesh navy.

The vessel pulled out 33 fishermen who had been adrift on the Bay of Bengal for more than 36 hours on its way to Chittagong to hand over disaster relief supplies.

Cyclone Mora struck the Bangladesh coast with wind speeds of over 100km per hour at 6am on Tuesday. It weakened into a land depression six hours later, leaving behind a trail of damaged houses and trees in the coastal districts.

Over ten million were living in the region that was hit with 120 km/h-strong wind, according to UN estimates.

The government assisted with the evacuation of over 300,000 people from the affected area as the cyclone approached.