DHAKA, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The United Nations food agency has unveiled a $52 million, six-month plan to provide emergency aid to 2.2 million Bangladeshis affected by the killer cyclone.
The aim is to avoid a repeat of the surge in malnutrition rates that typically follows a cyclone in Bangladesh, the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) said on Thursday in a statement.
Cyclone Sidr, which hit the impoverished South Asian country on Nov. 15 with winds of 250 kph (155 mph) and a 5-foot tidal surge, killed about 3,500 people, left thousands missing or injured, and displaced 2 million.
"This time, WFP will start longer-term distributions to families with hopes of preventing increases in malnutrition throughout the region," said Josette Sheeran, the agency's executive director.
The emergency operation would follow the just-completed U.N. assessment that found roughly 4.7 million people living in the worst affected areas with 2.2 million needing immediate food assistance, the WFP said.
"While immediate food aid such as high energy biscuits continue to be rushed into the cyclone-hit areas, WFP is now ready to begin a longer-term, more comprehensive food assistance programme that will get nutritious foods directly to the children who need it the most," said WFP Bangladesh Representative Douglas Broderick.
Despite intensified relief efforts, supervised by the Bangladesh army and helped by the U.S. navy and helicopters, many survivors in remote areas had yet to receive food and water, reporters said.
Bangladesh's army-backed interim government has said no one would be left out of the relief effort. (Reporting by Ruma Paul; editing by Roger Crabb)
