A school lies in ruins in Shoronkhola sub-district, (Bagerhat district) southern Bangladesh, November, 2007. After Cyclone Sidhr ravaged the coastal area, Close to 1,700 students once attended the school.
(Photo: (c)Tanvir Ahmed/IRIN)
Situation 'terrible, unimaginable' say CMS partners on the ground in Bangladesh.
A tidal wave 20 feet high left “unimaginable” destruction in Bangladesh’s coastal areas.
Bishop Paul Sarkar of the Church of Bangladesh paints a desperate picture of the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr, as his government appeals for more aid.
On Tuesday, he said, the official government death toll was 2,000 but could rise to 10,000 according to the Red Crescent.
“Thousands of people have been wounded and lost family members, houses and cattle and paddy fields are damaged,” Bishop Sarkar told CMS.
“The situation in the coastal area is terrible and unimaginable,” he says. “The tidal wave was about 20 feet high on some low lands.
“The survivors say that they fought against the wind and tidal wave for about four to five hours by holding a tree or a pole or on the roof of a house.”
Bishop Sarkar was on a pastoral visit to the relatively unaffected north-west of the country when the cyclone hit.
But with lives and livelihoods swept away, TV pictures have been too painful to watch, says the bishop.
“As a church we need some support to help our parishioners whose houses and paddy fields have been damaged. But we need enough support for the people of the coastal area who have lost the lives of their dear and near ones. Without support they can't survive at all.”
There are concerns, though, that aid doesn’t always reach those who need it most, with corrupt officials taking their unfair share. , especially given that Bangladesh currently has a caretaker government.
The cyclone was a bitter blow as Bangladesh was still struggling with the effects of recent floods.
But the church, though small in number, was ready to help. “As a small minority we are praying for them and looking forward to take part in the initiative that government and NGOs have taken to help them.”
PRAY for the tiny Church of Bangladesh (13,000 people in a country of 150 million) as it reaches out in loving service to help people whose loved ones and livelihoods have been destroyed.
PRAY for CMS people in mission in Bangladesh, James Pender and wife Dipty, David and Sara Hall and Dr Helen Brannam, as they work in partnership with the Church of Bangladesh Social Development Programme to help people become lessvulnerable to natural and man-made disaster.
PRAY that government and NGO workers won't be tempted to take a little extra aid for themselves as money is donated.
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