Vatican City, 16 November 2007 – Caritas Bangladesh says clean drinking water, food, and shelter materials are pressing needs following the powerful cyclone that battered the country's southern coastal region Thursday evening.

Caritas Bangladesh field staff, volunteers, and partners have been working round-the clock to assess damages and identify emergency needs in affected communities, after heavy rains, rolling waves, and powerful winds caused widespread damage. With telecommunication lines down, efforts to get information from the regions have been difficult, while some areas have yet to be reached.

Official figures put the death toll around 250; however, reports coming in place the figure much higher, and it is feared that it will rise as many people are still missing. Thousands have been left homeless in what is the start of the country's coldest period

The storms have dealt a serious blow to livelihoods and food security. Akhila D'Rozario, Caritas Bangladesh's Director of Disaster Management and Development, said, "Crops were destroyed in water-logged areas. Fishing communities and day labourers, who usually live from hand to mouth, have lost their sources of income, and thousands of people are too poor to have any food stocks in their homes."

The hardest hit areas are Barisal, Borguna, Pirozpur, Jhalokathi, Bhola, Luxmipur, Patualkhali, Bagerhat, Sathkhra, and Cox's Bazar.

Before the cyclone hit the coast, Caritas Bangladesh and partner Catholic Relief Services moved quickly to warn communities of the impending storm, helping them to move into safe shelter. Field and regional offices positioned jerry cans and water purification tablets to ensure access to clean drinking water.

Caritas Bangladesh is working with the affected families to identify needs and provide life-saving assistance, and are sending additional staff to conduct a multi-sectoral needs assessment in the cyclone-affected areas under the Barisal and Khulna Regional Offices.

Caritas Bangladesh has long-standing capacity and competence in responding to natural disasters of this kind.

Please contact Jane Kronner for more information at +39 06 698 797 43