16 NOVEMBER 2020

CLIMATE AND DISASTER RESILIENCE SNAPSHOT INSIGHTS FROM CITIES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES

BANGLADESH

Super Cyclone Amphan Impacts in Damaged embankment in Sharankhola of Bagerhat after Cyclone Amphan CTEIP-UCCRTF Cities: Bagerhat | Source: The Daily Star

SITUATION OVERVIEW ADAPTING TO CYCLONE AMPHAN AND COVID-19 SHOCK

• Super cyclone “Amphan” made No fatalities were reported in Bagerhat challenge of maintaining physical landfall in the southwestern coast of district. However, the total number of distancing in the evacuation centers due in the afternoon of 20 May affected people in the district is 5,331, to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 2020, bringing with it a deadly storm of which 48% are women and about 8% In response, the government declared surge that rose to about 5 meters high, are poor and vulnerable. The percentage other public buildings as cyclone causing widespread flooding. The of population displaced due to Amphan shelters in order to safely accommodate cyclone caused extensive damage to varies from 10% to 50% in different the evacuees. Volunteers such as the infrastructure and resulted in the loss of geographical locations of Bagerhat, but Bangladesh Red Crescent Society 96 lives. this primarily includes the communities (BDRCS) also provided support in located along the coastal areas who identifying additional buildings, such • The Bangladesh Meteorological were affected by the . as school and government buildings, Department hoisted signal number distributing personal protective The impact of Amphan on vulnerable 10, the second highest cyclone signal equipment (PPE), and providing isolation communities was magnified by the in Bangladesh, in the southwestern facilities for suspected COVID-19 cases. coastal district including Bagerhat. • The total number of houses damaged in the District of Bagerhat was 4,696, out CHALLENGES AND GAPS of which 4,349 were partially damaged and 347 were completed destroyed. • One of the biggest challenges was • Preparedness efforts such as the evacuation of large numbers distributing cooked food, dry food, • Close to 10% of the town’s land area of people with inadequate capacity candles, and other food and non-food (35,339 hectares), including residential of cyclone shelters, given the items within a very short period of and agricultural areas, were inundated physical distancing requirements time before the landfall was a major by the storm surge. of the pandemic. This was further challenge for city authorities and • 267 drinking water tube wells and 1,067 compromised by limited access district administration. latrines were completely damaged. to water, sanitation and hygiene • During the evacuees’ stay at the (WASH) materials and facilities, and cyclone shelters, a few concerns • Around 36 km of coastal embankment refusal of people to move from their emerged, including shortage of and protection road of Bagerhat were homes separate female toilet facilities, lack damaged. • Three unions in the district had 1-25% of back-up generators, and lack of • The resulting damage on Bagerhat due of the areas inundated by flood while fence for ensuring children’s safety. to the cyclone was estimated at $50 six unions had 25-50% of their areas million. inundated.

Continued next page... Flood map generated via SPADE

RESILIENCE STORIES ADB, through the Coastal Towns Environmental Infrastructure Project (CTEIP), is supporting the Government of Bangladesh strengthen • The UCCRTF-funded Suveccha Government climate resilience and disaster preparedness in eight vulnerable coastal Primary School cum cyclone shelter, which pourashavas across the country. Additional financing from UCCRTF is in its final stages of completion (96% facilitated the construction of emergency access roads, improvement construction completed), was commissioned of drainage and construction of cyclone shelters in Bagerhat and to accommodate affected residents coming Patuakhali. from railway colony and slums adjacent to the stadium and the lakeside area. FULL REPORT can be accessed here. • Around 1,200 evacuees were accommodated FURTHER INFORMATION by the cyclone shelter. • Md. Shahidul Alam, Senior Project Officer (Urban Infrastructure) | • Based on ground validation, two low-lying [email protected] areas adjacent to UCCRTF-funded drainage • Virinder Sharma, Senior Urban Development Specialist | vsharma@ network and roads were inundated but this adb.org did not impede access to the cyclone shelters. • Manik Kumar Saha, SP2 City Resilience Officer (Plan International) | The access road fronting the cyclone shelter [email protected] was not affected, so access of evacuees to the cyclone shelter was not hampered. UCCRTF FINANCING PARTNERS • The newly constructed access roads provided unimpeded transit for the evacuation of the affected communities, which included pregnant women, the elderly, and persons with disability. • No damage was reported to the four UCCRTF- funded infrastructure packages, which include SOURCES three (3) access roads and one (1) cyclone • Humanitarian Coordination Task Team (2020). Need Assessment Working shelter. Group Report. Bangladesh. • UNICEF (May 2020). Situation Report #2. Bangladesh. • Uddin, K. and Matin, M. (27 May 2020). Mapping floods in Bangladesh caused by Cyclone Amphan to support humanitarian response. Prevention Web.