The New Nation - Internet Edition

Notwithstanding the successful operation of the cyclone preparedness programme that has hopefully helped limit human casualties to a minimum possible figure by way of four days of advance warning given at regular intervals and house-to-house alarm messages reached by 40,000 volunteers of the CPP, the loss of life and property caused by super cyclone SIDR has been colossal. Now a dynamic rescue, relief and rehabilitation scheme has to be in place to coordinate the post-cyclone response of the government, the people, the international community and the affected people themselves to put them back on the regular chores of life as soon as possible. The government has announced its immediate allocations for supporting the suffering people in five worst affected districts. More allocations would be made as a total picture of the devastation caused by the worst cyclone in 16 years would emerge from the remote and inaccessible areas most battered by the 240-kilometres-an-hour winds and the storm surge that the cyclone generated. As reported, the cyclone caused damage to 95 per cent of the standing Aman paddy crops right at the time of their harvest, and also to the winter vegetables crops that had started coming to markets pushing their prices down.

The cyclone affected people need urgent supply of food and drinking water to remain alive and also help not only to rebuild their battered homes but also to resume cultivation of crops and work in other professions, vocations and trades to earn income and be on their own again. This is a gigantic task because the number of affected people runs into nearly 20 million in the worst affected districts of Barguna, Bagerhat, Patuakhali, Jhalakathi and Pirojpur alone. Loss of life and damage of property were reported from as far away placed as Dhaka where the maximum wind speed was reported to be more than 100 kilometres an hour.

Such a huge relief and rehabilitation programme is difficult for the government alone to plan and implement. Although the armed forces have been helping the government in a big way, response from the community also needs to be well-coordinated with a view to ensuring that their donations in aid of the cyclone affected people reach those who need help most. In the past, active participation of neighbours of the affected families helped them to overcome the loss and immediate sufferings. The built-in disaster management capabilities developed since the 1970 cyclone should be put in full gear with ready support coming from the armed forces in aid of the civil administration.