Silver Spring, Maryland--The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is expanding its response to meet the immediate needs of nearly 20,000 additional survivors after Cyclone Sidr made landfall over the low-lying coast of Bangladesh on Thursday, November 15.

Based on the rapid needs assessment conducted by ADRA Bangladesh and the ADRA Asia Regional Office, in cooperation with local authorities in the Barguna District, ADRA is expanding its relief operations to assist a total of nearly 20,000 people in three affected communities. These villages, Dhakin Jarakhali, Chaulapara, and Uttar Jarakhali, suffered extensive human and material losses from the cyclone, with 236 people dead, 400 missing, and 500 injured. An estimated 85 percent of homes were destroyed, with 90 percent of crops damaged by the cyclone, and nearly 70 percent of livestock lost.

Each household will receive a two-week packet of oral-rehydration salts and emergency food, including rice, lentils, salt, sugar, and vegetable oil. Beneficiaries will also receive emergency temporary shelter materials and non-food relief items, such as bedding, household kits, and vegetable seeds to assist families as they return to their daily lives.

ADRA plans to continue to provide emergency and long-term recovery assistance for communities heavily affected by Cyclone Sidr, through the distribution of food, shelter, and emergency non-food items.

The four-week project is valued at nearly $250,000, and is financed by ADRA International, ADRA Czech Republic, ADRA New Zealand, ADRA Norway, ADRA Asia Regional Office, ADRA Canada, ADRA Denmark, ADRA Sweden, ADRA Switzerland, ADRA UK, ADRA Australia, ADRA Portugal, ADRA Japan, and ADRA Netherlands.

On the evening of November 15, Cyclone Sidr, struck islands offshore of Bangladesh with Category 4 winds, making landfall across the southern coast with winds up to 155 mph. An estimated 31 of Bangladesh's 64 districts were affected by the storm, retaining considerable damage as it moved north across central Bangladesh.

Immediately after the cyclone hit, ADRA emergency response teams based in Dhaka assessed the damages and most urgent needs in cyclone-affected areas, providing an initial relief food response including two types of rice, sugar, salt, lentils, and oral rehydration solution for 927 households (more than 4,600 individuals) in the hard-hit district of Barguna, specifically the villages of Chorpara and Sadagorpara. In these two villages, at least 36 people died and all homes were destroyed.

Latest United Nations and news reports indicate at least 3,243 have died as a result of the storm, with an additional 880 missing, and 34,708 injured. More than seven million people have been affected. More than 365,772 homes have been destroyed and nearly 876,000 homes were partially damaged. The Government of Bangladesh estimates that more than 1.8 million acres of crops were damaged, with more than 523,000 livestock killed. Public buildings were affected as well, with 1,374 educational institutions destroyed and another 8,635 partially damaged.

The worst affected areas include Bagerhat, Barguna, Barisal, Bhola, Gopalgonj, Jhalkhati, Khulna, Mandaripur, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Satkhira, and Shariatpur districts.

To donate to ADRA's emergency response effort to aid survivors of Cyclone Sidr and other natural disasters, please contact ADRA at 1.800.424.ADRA (2372) or donate online to ADRA's Emergency Response fund at www.adra.org.

Updates will be released as ADRA's response efforts expand.

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and emergency management without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.

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Author: Nadia McGill

Media Contact: Kara Watkins ADRA International 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 Phone: 301.680.6357 Mobile: 301.526.2625 E-mail: Media.Inquiries@adra.org