Press Release: 22 Nov 2007 ACTED Sends Assessment Team to Bangladesh to Prepare an Emergency Response to the Humanitarian Needs of the Survivors of Cyclone Sidr

Delhi, 22 November 2007 - ACTED has sent an assessment team to the affected regions of Bangladesh to respond to the immediate relief and rehabilitation needs of more than 1.5 million people that have been affected by Cyclone Sidr. The Cyclone's strong winds of up to 250 km/h and the 5m storm surges that accompanied it have wreaked widespread destruction in the region. Tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and nearly all the rice paddy has been contaminated with sea water, meaning that the rice harvest expected for December has been lost. In this difficult context, the assessment team is focusing on the livelihood, housing and drinking-water situation of affected households after the hurricane. Based on the results of the assessment, ACTED will begin an emergency response targeted to help affected communities rebuild their homes and restore their livelihoods in the wake of the Cyclone.

For more information, contact: ACTED HQ, Tel: +33 01 42-65-33-33 Email: paris@acted.org