Cyclone Aila Continues To Impact
The Lives Of Thousands In Bangladesh
By Brian McAfee
03 June, 2009
Countercurrents.org
Reports Continue to come out of Bangladesh more than a week after cyclone Aisla struck concerning the ongoing humanitarian crisis there. The cyclone which struck on May 25 has killed at least 237 people and left tens of thousands of others homeless. According to Heather Blackwell, Oxfam's Bangladesh representative, "It's an emerging humanitarian crisis. And its getting worse every day." Bangladesh, a nation of just under 154 million people, is in a precarious position as most of its geographic area is at, or just above, sea level and with the all too frequent cyclones and the perennial monsoons the people of Bangladesh are in a precarious position.
Some reports idicate that thousands of people still do not have access to food or water. Farmers and fishermen will face difficulties for some time to come as the coastal regions ere heavily damaged and salt water seeped into coastal area farmland.
Another area of concern is disease and water born illnesses, already there have been several deaths due to diarrhoea. As Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the World it is the moral responsibility of the rich countries to help in these situations, many are, including the U.S., but it does appear to be of an insufficient amount.
