Bangladesh cyclone
On 15 November 2007 a severe cyclone struck Bangladesh, killing more than 3,500 people. Cyclone Sidr struck overnight packing winds of 250 kph (155 mph).
The Category 4 cyclone triggered a 15-foot (5-metre) high tidal surge that devastated three coastal towns and forced 3.2 million people to evacuate.
The cyclone affected 8.9 million people and 1.5 million people had their homes damaged or destroyed. Crops and food sources were also destroyed.
Community infrastructure was destroyed with roads, trees and more than 2,000 schools damaged by the destructive winds.
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On 14 November 2007 a devastating cyclone struck Bangladesh, killing more than 3,500 people and leaving millions homeless. World Vision was on the ground within hours responding to the needs of affected people.
Before the cyclone struck, World Vision was preparing people for the emergency, building cyclone shelters, educating communities about disasters and evacuating families to safe shelters.
In the UK, World Vision supporters donated more than £200,000 to assist the relief and recovery response. The Disaster Emergency Committee’s 13 major aid agencies also launched an appeal and World Vision UK received a further £200,000 from the money raised.
Families in Bangladesh are rebuilding their lives thanks to the funds donated. People in the southern coastal regions have received corrugated iron sheeting to rebuild homes. More than 5,200 families have been provided with two bundles of sheeting to construct a shelter for an average household of five people.
Communities are facing acute shortages of safe drinking water due to the cyclone. Wells and water sources were contaminated by flooding, rendering them unusable. Overflow of latrines and waste, also caused by flooding, has contaminated water ponds. World Vision is clearing debris, repairing infrastructure and reconstructing water points to help more than 17,000 people access safe water supplies.
We also employed around 15,000 local people in cash-for-work programmes during the first month of recovery.
In the long-term, World Vision is working with farmers to restock fishponds and recover basic production of food crops
More news
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Almost two weeks after a powerful cyclone hit Bangladesh, official figures put the number of people affected by the storm at more than three million. [read more]
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A fisherman ordered to remain at sea by his employer as a cyclone battered Bangladesh has spoken of his near death experience... [read more]
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World Vision is distributing much-needed relief to people in the worst affected areas of Bangladesh after Cyclone Sidr hit last Thursday [read more]
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Rahima talks of her loss as she comes to terms with the death of her husband and son... [read more]
Eyewitness
Richard Rumsey of World Vision's Asia Pacific region reflects on the response to the Bangladesh cyclone in November 2007... [read more]
Press releases
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The Disaster Emergency Committee’s 13 major aid agencies have launched an appeal to help millions of people left without food and shelter following the Bangladesh cyclone... [read more]