Bangla cyclone: UN calls for food aid to victims

Dhaka, Nov 24: The United Nations has recommended life saving food assistance for more than 2 million victims of cyclone 'Sidr' that battered Bangladesh's coastal districts on November 15.

The killer cyclone left more than 3,100 dead, nearly 2,000 missing and millions shelterless. The UN increased its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocation to a total of 14.7 million dollar to pay for international relief assistance for the victims. This brings the total UN sponsered aid to about 35 million dollar. The UN will continue to arrange more aid for 'Sidr' hit Bangladesh in coming weeks, informed a press release.

''This funding will enable UN system to provide life-saving drugs, drinking water equipments for people at risk from water-borne diseases and other vital assistance,'' said the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Renata Lok Dessallien.

The CERF funding is crucial for preventing epidemics of water-borne disease in the Cyclone-affected areas and for saving lives at this moment.

Ms Dessallien also informed that the UNs initial rapid assessment mission that surveyed damages and needs in nine districts badly affected by the Cyclone and made a set of recommendations to deal with the post-cyclone situation.

The recommendations include immediate life-saving food assistance for more than two million victims, immediate drinking water supplies for an estimated 1.2 million people, emergency shelter, housing reconstruction assistance, medical assistance and disease prevention and livelihood regeneration.

The UN backed by its agencies like UNI