Hundreds of thousands of survivors were stuck Saturday behind roads blocked by fallen trees, iron roofs and thick sludge as rescue workers fought to reach towns along Bangladesh's coast that were ravaged by a powerful cyclone that killed at least 1,861 people.
More than a million coastal villagers were forced to evacuate to government shelters.
The official death toll rose to 1,861, and authorities feared the figure could rise further as the country works to recover.
The government scrambled Saturday to join international agencies and local officials in the rescue mission, deploying military helicopters, thousands of troops and naval ships.
Rescuers trying to get food and water to people stranded by flooding struggled to clear roads that were so bad they said they'll have to return on bicycles.
Along the coast, 150 mph winds flung small ferries ashore like toy boats, cutting off migrant fishing communities who live on and around hundreds of tiny islands across the area's web of river channels.
Bodies were found among muddy paddy fields and along river channels, said Bishnu Prashad Chakravorty, a local journalist who visited the hard-hit coastal area of Bagerhat.
The government has allocated $5.2 million in emergency aid for rebuilding houses in the cyclone-affected areas, a government statement said.
The U.S. government has provided an initial $2.1 million in emergency relief aid, said a statement from the White House press secretary, Dana Perino.
She said the USS Essex and the USS Kearsage were en route to Bangladesh to help and that the U.S. would airlift 35 tons of non-food items such as hygiene kits.
President Bush and first lady Laura Bush "offer condolences to the victims of Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh, especially those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods in this tragedy," the statement said.
The German government offered $731,345, while the European Union released $2.2 million in relief aid. The World Food Program was rushing food to the country.
Bangladesh's interim government head, Fakhruddin Ahmed, visited some of the affected areas Friday and Saturday and assured cyclone victims of government assistance. Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed, meanwhile, was expected to visit some of the worst-hit areas in coming days.
Aid organizations feared that food shortages and contaminated water could lead to widespread problems if people remain stranded.
Television images showed crowds of people scrambling beneath military helicopters as troops dropped food packages through open hatches.
At least 1.5 million coastal villagers had fled to shelters where they were given emergency rations, said senior government official Ali Imam Majumder in Dhaka.
Many parts of Dhaka, the biggest city in this poor, desperately crowded nation of 150 million people, remained without power or water Saturday. The storm killed at least four people in Dhaka.
More than 4,000 people were injured, military spokesman Lt. Col. Moyeenullah Chowdhury said. Army medical teams were working in the affected area.
An estimated 2.7 million people were affected and 773,000 houses were damaged, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management. Roughly 250,000 head of cattle and poultry perished, and crops were destroyed on nearly 77,450 acres of land.
But the full picture of the devastation remained unclear as the storm wreaked havoc on the country's electricity and telephone lines, affecting even areas that were spared a direct hit.
Sidr spawned a 4-foot storm surge that swept through low-lying areas and some offshore islands, leaving them under water, said Nahid Sultana, an official of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management.
CARE's Anwar said many surviving families were living under makeshift tents or sheds made out of the remnants of their straw and bamboo homes, while many others had to go back to the official shelters.
Bangladesh is prone to cyclones and floods that cause huge losses of life and property. The most recent deadly storm was a tornado that leveled 80 villages in northern Bangladesh in 1996, killing 621 people.
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@salaa786123 dumb ass, global warming is cause by politics, severe weather is more of a threat because people have more avenues to pursue in knowing about it which, in turn, causes them to fear it.
But, you are still a real big dumb ass liberal.
mrdoitup78 1 month ago
Its due to global warming wake up people! By the end of the century it might become almost completely under water which will leave thousand to suffer.
salaa786123 3 months ago
As usual the comment thread reinforces that the topics of religion and politics always cause arguments :) Anyway, skipping over the over-emotional naiive kiddies comments ... It is one hell of a tornado, and does hold dubious record for the deadliest tornado, killing 1300 (@pdorn777 you may be right about 1200, who knows what figures to trust anymore!). There is definitely more footage of US tornados, but of course, there is more active monitoring and filming of them.
jaffamonkey 4 months ago
@pdorn777 actually Bangladesh has more tornadoes than any other country including the U.S Don't let that mega outbreak fool you.Bangladesh has a lot more deadly tornadoes than the U.S In fact the deadliest tornado in history happened in Dhaka Bangladesh's capitol killing 1,200 people.
BradleyWWEFan 5 months ago
Gonna get back on topic for just a brief jiffy....sort of. Another big problem in Bangladesh is powerful tornadoes, and that country ranks second only to the US for the most average annual deaths from such storms. It's the whole thing where the Bay of Bengal is analagous to the Gulf of Mexico, with cold air coming in from the north via primarily Tibet (analogous to Canada). I wouldn't want to EVER be caught in a Bangladesh tornado...many are strong to violent EF3 rated or higher!!
pdorn777 7 months ago
You are obviously ignorant of what the conditions are and I have on many occasions petitioned to not involve national govts but private charities and bringing in investment which is far better. And where have I said I am owed this money?
You just make stupid statements with no evidence, looks like the business degree was not of much use in common sense. And now I am finally done since I can tell this will go on forever with your level of reading between the lines.
LiberateBDesh 2 years ago
Liberate- If you feel that the financial aid America (along with other European countries) gives with the conditions attached is "exploitation", then petition your government to not accept it. I'd be happy to save some tax dollars. You seem to think that you are owed this money and shouldn't have to do anything to get it. Sorry to break it to you but there are very few things in this life that are free.
Morr6565 2 years ago
And if you tallied exploitation vs. financial aid you'd understand how unbalanced it is btw you do realise aid comes with conditions, usually free access for US companies to our resources, another reason for anti-americanism. Exploitation is never far behind that's why I want us to follow asian tiger method and exploit you back.
LiberateBDesh 2 years ago
I am going to reply to this because is very important. I am not asking for reparations but explaining why Bangladesh is in it's current situation. We are cutting poverty by 2% a year and on target to cut poverty in half by 2015 and meet all our MDG's. We don't want handouts and we are and will compete and beat west just like the Koreans and other Asian tigers have done. The colonisation explains a lot our current situation, even you Americans fought British financial exploitation.
LiberateBDesh 2 years ago
Liberate- I live in New Jersey and have my Bachelors Degree in World Business so great guess on the "hick" thing. You and people like you in poor countries that blame others for your problems will never get out of poverty until you take a good look in the mirror. Meanwhile, The West continues to provide your country with aid so you get fed daily. I won't hold my breath for a thank you
Morr6565 2 years ago