Four World Vision assessment teams have travelled to areas outside their normal project areas to begin planning a general response based on the situation and need in these areas. The teams met with the Deputy Commissioners of Barguna, Bagerhat and Patuakhali districts.

With villagers caught off guard in these districts, the cyclone demolished houses, crops, trees and shrimp farms over thousands of kilometres. The official death toll in these three districts had been the highest with Bagerhat being the worst affected. Most of the deaths were caused by drowning in tidal surge, collapsing houses and falling trees.

Mr. Saibal Sangma, Operations Zonal Coordinator, WV Bangladesh, is heading the asssessment. He says, "The local government is happy to work along with World Vision. They have informed us of specific areas where World Vision could take up emergency relief operations."

United Nations Report

The United Nations has said that food, shelter and cash represent the three highest priority areas for assistance in its first assessment report released today on the Cyclone Sidr. In a report that looked at the nine worst-affected districts, the UN also said that sanitation and drinking water assistance is badly needed.

According to the report, the total number of houses damaged is nearly 1.2 million. Approximately 30% of these are reported as fully damaged, and the remaining 70% partially damaged. In many Upazilas more than half of thatched-roof homes, primarily inhabited by the extreme poor, were completely destroyed.

In addition, the report estimated more than 8,000 educational institutions have been damaged according to the latest available Government of Bangladesh situation report. Large quantities of educational materials, including books and furniture, have been destroyed.

Carried out with the support of the Government of Bangladesh and NGOs working on relief in the area, the report assessed the damage caused as well as made recommendation on possible response.

Some of the key excerpts of this report are:

• Damage to livelihoods is large, in particular the fisheries and agricultural sectors will need strong support.
• The timing of the cyclone was particularly harmful, in that many of the crops were at or nearly ready for harvest. A quarter of ready-to-harvest crops have been destroyed. Many households lost their food stocks as a result of severe damage to housing.
• Food prices were already high prior to the storm due to high international food prices and earlier flood-related losses, prices are expected to stay high for the near to medium term.
• While the report recommended that relief food and shelter assistance was the most urgent need, it also emphasized the need for drinking water, sanitation and restoration of medical facilities. Coordination of relief efforts was also highlighted as a key need.

A safe place for children

Seven Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) are being created within World Vision project areas to allow the children a respite from their worries and concerns. CFS also provide a bridging form of transitional education to keep children stimulated and prepare them to return to schools when they reopen.
Activities at these centres include indoor games, singing, drawing and stories, as well as life skills training, health education and cultural/creative activities.

One CFS, in Laudobe project area, has already opened, with 90 children in attendance each day. The other six are expected to be operational shortly.

World Vision relief representatives in the field are available for interview. To arrange media, please contact James East, Asia-Pacific communications director, +668 9812 1402

[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]