Bangladesh cyclone toll tops 500, may rise (thousands injured)

[Breeze54]

Bangladesh cyclone toll tops 500, may rise

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/SSHN-78ZGRX?OpenDocument

Date: 16 Nov 2007

By Anis Ahmed

DHAKA, Nov 16 (Reuters) -

A severe cyclone has killed more than 500 people in Bangladesh and left thousands injured or missing,
triggering an international relief effort to help the army-backed interim government to cope with the
disaster.

Local officials and Red Crescent workers said on Friday 508 deaths had already been confirmed while
hundreds more were injured or missing after the cyclone struck overnight packing winds of 250 kph (155 mph).

The Category 4 cyclone also triggered a 15-foot (5-metre) high tidal surge that devastated three
coastal towns and forced evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people, officials and aid agencies said.

"The death count is rising fast as we get more information from the affected districts," an official
at the food and disaster ministry said. But he put the latest official confirmed death toll at 247.
"It may go much higher," he said, adding that some areas had yet to be reached.

"It is impossible to describe how serious was the devastation wrought by the killer cyclone,"
a television reporter said.

"1,000 fishermen remain missing as of last night in Bangladesh," Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman of
the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told a news briefing in Geneva.

Some 150 trawlers had been reported missing.

"Significant damage is expected. However, information collection on casualty and damage figures
is still very much in the early stages," she said.

snip--->

The cyclone triggered a tidal surge that inundated the towns of Patuakhali, Barguna and Jhalakathi,
cutting off communication links. A government official in Dhaka said there was no immediate
information about casualties from the area.

Nearly 1 million people were evacuated in 13 coastal districts, officials said.

Bangladeshi authorities despatched four helicopters loaded with emergency relief supplies
including dry foods, medicines and blankets to some of the worst-hit areas, officials said.

The United Nations World Food Programme, in its initial assistance, has begun distributing 98
tonnes of high-energy biscuits to storm victims.

More...