Cyclone Sidr Batters Bangladesh, 1000+ Dead

[Nazias]

Cyclone Sidr Batters Bangladesh

Islamic Relief (IR) is launching an urgent appeal for £3 million to respond to Cyclone Sidr, which has devastated southern Bangladesh.

Over 1,000 people are now believed to have died after winds of over 200 km per hour triggered high tidal surges on the southern coast.

“This was a category four cyclone and it has caused a lot of destruction,” said Samina Haq, Emergency Desk Officer at IR Headquarters. “The death toll is rising and as always, it is hard to give a precise figure in the immediate aftermath.”

Thousands of people in cyclone-affected areas were just beginning to pick up their lives after the floods. They now face a new challenge of coping with this disaster too.

IR has already allocated £500,000 for the initial emergency response and is set to begin distribution of shelter materials and food.

Donate Online Today (https://www.islamic-relief.com/submenu/help/signin.asp)

Jazakallah khair!

[me.sawda]

:jkk: to bring such matter forward:up:
:salams

[Nazias]

:jkk: to bring such matter forward:up:
:salams

Insha'allah, we can all do more to help those facing trials.

[insomniac]

inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajioon.

:jkk: for highlighting this - :insha: we can all donate - I think Muslim Aid are doing something similar for this :up:

[Nazias]

Donations can be made to Islamic Help on Islam Channel now and until midnight! :up:

[niqaabi_muslima]

yep...muslim aid are doing live appeal :)

[kamalysalma]

Masha'Allah, Muslim Aid have raised a total of I think £136,000 right niqaabi_muslima? I think its probably a little more actually....hmm they raised that in a matter of 2 days, unbelievable but alhamdulillah, Allah SWT is Khair :up:

[afsalim]

Salaam everyone! Let me give you a personal account of the cyclone.

Sidr is the biggest cyclone to hit Bangladesh in known history. It was a category 5 cyclone and when it struck at Hiron Point, Khulna district, the wind gusts were peaking at 315 km/h. After the cyclone ravaged the Sundarbans, it approached the Barisal district around 11 PM. Exactly at 12:30 PM, the Sidr approached my hometown of Dhaka. Believe me when I tell you, I never witnessed anything so horrific in my life. Eventually the power lines were torn and we were left without power and water for almost 48 hours.

Next morning, myself and a couple of friends decided to drive by and see the amount of destruction in our city. I was appalled. When the power came back online, I began to realize the amount of devastation it has caused. In my ancestral town of Bhola (an island located in the Barisal district), three villages were wiped off the map. Dead bodies were seen floating in ponds and rivers.

I thank Allah for saving us. The fatalities could have been far greater. But with the grace of the Almighty, we did not face total devastation. Sorry for posting this after a long time. But as you know, the power lines and the internet lines were down.

[Nazias]

Salaam everyone! Let me give you a personal account of the cyclone.

Sidr is the biggest cyclone to hit Bangladesh in known history. It was a category 5 cyclone and when it struck at Hiron Point, Khulna district, the wind gusts were peaking at 315 km/h. After the cyclone ravaged the Sundarbans, it approached the Barisal district around 11 PM. Exactly at 12:30 PM, the Sidr approached my hometown of Dhaka. Believe me when I tell you, I never witnessed anything so horrific in my life. Eventually the power lines were torn and we were left without power and water for almost 48 hours.

Next morning, myself and a couple of friends decided to drive by and see the amount of destruction in our city. I was appalled. When the power came back online, I began to realize the amount of devastation it has caused. In my ancestral town of Bhola (an island located in the Barisal district), three villages were wiped off the map. Dead bodies were seen floating in ponds and rivers.

I thank Allah for saving us. The fatalities could have been far greater. But with the grace of the Almighty, we did not face total devastation. Sorry for posting this after a long time. But as you know, the power lines and the internet lines were down.

Wasalam,

:( As much as you hear or see such things, we can not even begin imagine what such atrocities feel like.

May Allah(swt) forgive those whom lost their lives for any wrongs and grant them Firdous. Ameen!

[kamalysalma]

Salaam everyone! Let me give you a personal account of the cyclone.

Sidr is the biggest cyclone to hit Bangladesh in known history. It was a category 5 cyclone and when it struck at Hiron Point, Khulna district, the wind gusts were peaking at 315 km/h. After the cyclone ravaged the Sundarbans, it approached the Barisal district around 11 PM. Exactly at 12:30 PM, the Sidr approached my hometown of Dhaka. Believe me when I tell you, I never witnessed anything so horrific in my life. Eventually the power lines were torn and we were left without power and water for almost 48 hours.

Next morning, myself and a couple of friends decided to drive by and see the amount of destruction in our city. I was appalled. When the power came back online, I began to realize the amount of devastation it has caused. In my ancestral town of Bhola (an island located in the Barisal district), three villages were wiped off the map. Dead bodies were seen floating in ponds and rivers.

I thank Allah for saving us. The fatalities could have been far greater. But with the grace of the Almighty, we did not face total devastation. Sorry for posting this after a long time. But as you know, the power lines and the internet lines were down.

Indeed, it's wise to take these as Signs from Allah SWT to help us contemplate in His Power and Might that some of us take for granted. If Allah SWT Wills, He can destroy the face of the earth just as quickly as he did in this case, may Allah SWT protect those that have been affected and give them sabr and make this a means of expiating their sins.

[afsalim]

Indeed, it's wise to take these as Signs from Allah SWT to help us contemplate in His Power and Might that some of us take for granted. If Allah SWT Wills, He can destroy the face of the earth just as quickly as he did in this case, may Allah SWT protect those that have been affected and give them sabr and make this a means of expiating their sins.

This was a clear sign of Allah SWT. If he did not watch over us, how can we all be alive? It was a Category 5 storm and yet we emerged unharmed.

[kamalysalma]

This was a clear sign of Allah SWT. If he did not watch over us, how can we all be alive? It was a Category 5 storm and yet we emerged unharmed.

Yes brother, that is why you, me and others who are comfortable in our homes, feeling protected should give the ultimate Shukr to Allah SWT for He is without doubt worthy of far more than our praise, we cannot praise or worship our Lord SWT as He deserves.

[Nazias]

Bangladesh Makes Fresh Aid Plea

Bangladesh has called for more aid for tens of thousands of Cyclone Sidr survivors, amid concerns that some remote areas have not yet been reached.

The country's army says it has yet to deliver aid to 30% of coastal villages hit five days ago by the storm.

There is anger among many villagers on the stricken south coast that they have still not received vital supplies like food, water, shelter and medicine.

The storm has affected 1m families and killed at least 3,100 people.

The death toll is expected to rise.

A statement from Bangladesh's foreign ministry said: "At this time we will welcome support from the international community. We are doing as best as we can do ourselves."

The BBC's Alastair Lawson, at Bangladesh's storm-stricken Sunderbans mangrove forest, says aid is beginning to get through and army helicopters are criss-crossing the skies.

Tense Atmosphere

But the atmosphere is tense and relief when it does arrive may be too little, too late for many survivors, he says.

Some people have barely eaten since the storm struck and our correspondent has witnessed villagers fighting over rice.

The BBC's Mark Dummett says the scenes of devastation get worse and worse the further one travels towards the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

Crowds stand along the shoreline in front of their flattened villages, waving red flags made from their clothes, he says.

Cyclone Sidr, which struck late on Thursday, packed winds of up to 240km/h (150mph) and a tidal surge of several metres.

It brought down power lines and wiped out vital crops.

Bangladesh's Red Crescent society says up to 10,000 may have died.

At the coastal town of Patharghata, mother-of-three Safura Begum told AP news agency: "I've been waiting here for several hours hoping to get some food and drinking water.

"But I'm not sure it will come."

The Bangladeshi government has already received offers of emergency aid worth $140m (£68m).

Among major donors is Saudi Arabia, which has pledged $100m. The UK is sending $5m.

The US has offered $2m and is sending two amphibious naval vessels with helicopters to help the relief mission.

Coastal Bangladesh is a maze of waterways, creeks, islands and sandbanks and the only way to reach the area is by boat. The government's early-warning system is being credited with saving many lives.

Officials say that in many areas 95% of rice has been destroyed, while shrimp farms and other crops were simply washed away.

Southern Bangladesh is hit every year by cyclones and floods, but Cyclone Sidr is the most destructive storm to hit the country in more than a decade.

Another storm in 1991 left some 143,000 dead.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7102982.stm

[GuCcI]

its heart bwake-ing :crying:

[me.sawda]

Ameen to all dua and :jkk: to everyones effort for Sidr affected people.

Our house was affected too. All praise be to ALLAH it's good now.
Remember us in your supplication
:salams

[Nazias]

Ameen to all dua and :jkk: to everyones effort for Sidr affected people.

Our house was affected too. All praise be to ALLAH it's good now.
Remember us in your supplication
:salams

Insha'allah after hardship will come ease! :up:

[afsalim]

Ameen to all dua and :jkk: to everyones effort for Sidr affected people.

Our house was affected too. All praise be to ALLAH it's good now.
Remember us in your supplication
:salams

Oh no. Is your house located in Khulna or Barissal region?

[afsalim]

Update: The US Military has initiated "Operation Capable". The United States Navy also released over 3,500 Marines aboard USS Kearsarge and USS Wasp (located in the Gulf of Oman) and USS Tarawa (located in Hawaii) to aid in the recovery efforts. I've already seen the aircraft career USS Kearsarge on the news, it's now harboring a few miles away from Khulna (a southern district). I've seen 5 US helicopters flying over Dhaka.

Though I do appreciate the help the US military is giving us. Thousands of US marines are already on our soil and having two other aircraft career is giving me mixed feelings.

[bodrul]

its heart breaking to see this news and to watch it on TV
seeing the loss and suffering

hopefully i can do my part with my cause on facebook to raise money and see if i can at Uni

[afsalim]

its heart breaking to see this news and to watch it on TV
seeing the loss and suffering

hopefully i can do my part with my cause on facebook to raise money and see if i can at Uni

Please do bro. What has surprised me even more that the only country who is actively helping us is the US. Though Saudis have pledged aid, we have yet to see any sign of it. India was the first to send aid promptly. Yesterday I came back from Patuakhali district on behalf of my university alumni. Some people in there haven't had a grain of rice or any food in 1 week. After I passed on a packet of 5 kg of rice to an old man, he hugged me and cried like a baby. He hasn't eaten in days. I had to struggle with myself not to cry along. But it broke my heart.

[Nazias]

Bangladesh Cyclone

Ummah Welfare Trust have helped provide food and medicine to 3690 Cyclone Sidr Victims.

As the death toll rises and more information is filtering through about the numbers of families affected, we continue to urge people to donate generously. The response to this crisis has been great but a lot of work is still left to do to help the Ummah in crisis.

We will now start phase two of the Bangladesh Cyclone Appeal to re-house people and initiate the Livelihood Recovery programme.

Please contribute to one or all of the following:

1) Food & Medication packs: £3 per person.

2) Repairing one damaged home: £100 - £150 depending on the extent of the damage

3) Repairing Damaged Tube Wells - £50 (Lillah Only)

4) Livelihood Recovery - Fishing Nets & Instruments - £50 per person.

5) Qurbani (Cow) in Cyclone Zone - £165 (7 Parts) or £24 for 1/7th Share.

We are focusing on repair rather than new build as it is faster and more people can be aided in a shorter period of time.

You can also donate online here (https://vault2.secured-url.com/uwt/ExpressDonations.asp)

Jazakallah khair!

[Nazias]

Assalamualaikum wa Rahmatullah

Almost a month ago a catastrophic cyclone tore through southern Bangladesh, leading to the loss of thousands of lives and inflicting heavy damage to properties and infrastructure.

Muslim Aid immediately allocated GBP215,000 for emergency aid, and with your help has since raised GBP1.5 million in cash and GBP500,000 in kind.

Our Bangladesh field office is working in three of the worst-affected areas (Bagerhat, Patuakhali and Pirojpur) with our Canadian partner Global Medic, 60 field staff and a network of more than 400 volunteers.

To date Muslim Aid has distributed:

- Clean water to over 70,000 people
- Clothing to 6,000 families
- Blankets to 3,000 families
- Food packs to more than 12,000 families
- Medical care to 1,600 patients each day in our 2 mobile hospitals

Muslim Aid has also begun a shelter construction programme to reconstruct over 40 houses damaged in the cyclone. Two teams of volunteers are currently carrying out a detailed needs assessment on the ground to gather data for long-term planning which will include housing, schools, water & sanitation infrastructure, healthcare, livelihoods, training and child support.

With your help we will continue to work with the survivors to reconstruct their houses, replant their crops and rebuild their lives.

Please support us.

Wasalaam

Farooq Murad
Chairman- Muslim Aid

Donate Online Here (http://www.muslimaid.org/subpages.php?section=donations&sub=howdonate&down=yes)

Jazakallah khair!