At least 1,100 people are dead and hundreds of thousands more have fled their homes in the south Asian country of Bangladesh, where high waves, flooding, destructive winds and a tremendous storm surge slammed into the coastline, destroying homes, health clinics and other buildings where people sought safety.
As the death toll rises, MAP International is rushing to provide emergency supplies to partner organizations working in the region.
"As soon as news of the disaster spread, we were in contact with relief workers on the ground to determine exactly what was needed and where," said Chris Palusky, relief director for MAP International. "In addition to emergency relief, we are also assessing the long-term needs so that we may continue to help the people of Bangladesh recover from this overwhelming disaster."
Tropical Cyclone Sidr emerged from the Bay of Bengal and struck Bangladesh as well as neighboring Myanmar as a Category 4 hurricane, unleashing torrents of 136 mph winds and tidal surges as high as 19 feet that uprooted trees and flattened obstacles in its path. Aid workers have scrambled to evacuate survivors ahead of the flooding that is expected to continue. Nearly 70 percent of homes along the coastline, where about 2 million people live, have already been destroyed.
"This is an enormous emergency that will likely continue to get worse," Palusky said. "People are stranded and many are injured. They need emergency assistance. MAP is providing that."
Many people are still unaccounted for, including thousands of fishermen who were working near remote islands off the coast.
Bangladesh, which borders India and is home to 150 million people, has repeatedly born the brunt of devastating and deadly storms in the past. In 1991, a storm killed more than 140,000 people. In 1970, Cyclone Bhola killed 500,000 people - nearly twice the number that perished in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
