By IANS
Vienna : The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has approved a grant of $500,000 to provide essential relief and support emergency operations for cyclone victims in Bangladesh, the WAM news agency said Tuesday.
“The contribution will be channelled through International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and help purchase essential relief supplies such as tents, plastic sheeting, food, medicine and potable water, an OFID statement said.
More than 3,000 people have been killed in the cyclone and rescuers are still counting. Tens of thousands have been made homeless, and some one million families have been affected.
With winds at 210 km per hour, Cyclone Sidr slammed into the southern coastal region of Bangladesh, uprooting trees, levelling homes and wiping out vital infrastructure. As Sidr crossed over onto land, it began to weaken but still brought torrential rain and floods to low-lying areas.
The Red Cross and the Red Crescent have mobilised 30,000 staff and volunteers to carry out relief work, including medical intervention and emergency evacuation.