By Xinhua
Dhaka : Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) Sunday said it has already appealed for 400 million taka (about 5.7 million U.S. dollars) in international assistance for the cyclone victims in the country.
“Hopefully, proper response will be received about our appeal by two or three days,” BDRCS chairman Prof M Abdur Rob was quoted by private news agency UNB as saying.
He said that according to past experiences and reports, there is a possibility that death toll from the cyclone will rise to over 10,000.
The cyclone Sidr hit the country on Nov. 15 night, affecting some 27 out of the country’s 64 districts, leaving over 2,000 people killed and some 2.74 million people affected.
Five teams have been sent to the affected areas for quick assessment of losses caused by the powerful cyclone. “We will make a final appeal for international assistance after receiving the reports from the teams,” Rob said.
He appreciated the government’s efforts in facing the disaster that mainly hit the country’s coastal districts.
The BDRCS chairman said they have already started work to dispatch relief items to the affected areas. Around 42,000 volunteers of the Red Crescent Society worked continuously in the coastal areas during the storm and the efforts saved the lives of many people.