EHA, WCO, Situation Report - 1 02 April 2013

Emergency and Humanitarian Action (EHA) Unit Country Office for Bangladesh - World Health Organization (WHO)

Tornado in and Divisions, Bangladesh

Highlights:

• On late Friday, 22 March 2013, tornado ripped through more than a dozen rural villages in the eastern Bangladesh district of , in the , battering six unions of three (sub district) • On afternoon of Saturday, 23 March 2013, another tornado lashed 50 villages in Patnitola and Damurhuda upazilas of districts in the . • At least 36 people are killed, 413 severely injured and more than 1,800 families affected in both areas. • The government of Bangladesh has responded to the emergency and is currently engaged in relief efforts in both areas. • Rescue operations are carried out with the help of Fire Service, BGB, Police, RHD, PWD and local public representative. • Medical teams from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) have been sent to provide emergency healthcare services. • WHO is monitoring the situation in close coordination with the MoHFW and is on stand- by to provide support as needed.

Incident Site Mapping

The following maps show the affected areas with reference to district and national maps. The red areas are those affected by the tornado.

Caption: People gather to retrieve their Affected Areas indicated in red (Source: Reliefweb) belongings from the wreckage after a tornado touched down in Brahmanbaria on 23 March, 2013 (Source: Today, MSNBC) 1

Situation Analysis

Chittagong Division

• Most of the affected population has been living without proper shelter and trying to construct makeshift dwellings on the site of their original shelters. • 200ft of boundary wall and 420ft of security wall of the district prison collapsed. • Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) district unit office reported on 24 March that about 312 people were admitted in the hospital.

Rajshahi Division

• Over 100 thatched houses and crops on vast tract of land were damaged and many trees uprooted.

Casualties and Damages

The following tables show causalities and damages in Brahmanbaria and Naogaon districts in the Chittagong and Rajshahi Divisions respectively.

Brahmanbaria District

Peo ple Affected Families Deaths Injured Houses Houses Affected Damages Destroyed 8,615 1,728 34 388 752 2,635

Naogaon District

Number of working Injured people Deaths in Hospital Total admitted To tal Deaths medical team admitted to patient at hospitals hospital 4 24 2 6 2

Response

Government:

• Rescue operations were organised with the help of Police, Boarder Guards of Bangladesh (BGB), Roads and Highway, Public works department (PWD) and local leaders. • Two medical teams from are providing medical services to the victims.

2

• Almost all affected families are getting cooked food twice daily from the Government Administration • The government is providing corrugated galvanized iron (CGI) sheets and cash grant of BDT 6,000 (USD 77) to those with damaged houses. • Government has distributed 40 million tonnes (mts) of rice from its gracious relief (GR) fund.

Government compensation allocation

No. Fund allocation Amount Amount (US Dollar) (Bangladeshi taka) 1 Amount allotted for distribution 2,560,000 32,760 2 Total compensation for families of 1,940,000 24,826 injured 3 Total compensation for families of 580,000 7,422 deceased 4 Amount per families of injured 5,000 64 5 Amount per families of deceased 20,000 256

Distribution of compensation

No. Fund Recipients Number 1 No. of families of deceased compensated 29 2 No. of families of injured compensated 388

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) – WHO

• Medical teams from the MoHFW have been dispatched to provide emergency healthcare services. • WHO is in close communication with MOH in monitoring the situation through Health Crisis Centre MoHFW. In case the situation warrant, WHO will provide any assistance needed.

International Humanitarian Organizations

• Concern worldwide has started psychosocial support to the affected people using their trained personnel • CARE, Islamic Relief and the European commission humanitarian aid (DG-ECHO) are conducting assessment • United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is distributing 7.5 kilogrammes (kgs) of high-energy biscuits to each of the affected families to meet their nutritional need for at least five days

Status of International Aid

3

So far the government has not officially requested any international aid. The local authorities, with support from central government and ministries, are trying their best to manage the situation.

Contact Address

No. Organization Name and Title Email Phone Dr Kazi Abul Hossain Official: + 880 Md. Akram, 1714165215 1 WHO Bangladesh [email protected] NPO (Communicable Personal: +880 Diseases) 01713004165

Sour ces of Information

Information from the following sources was taken as references. The information provided may not be accurate and could be changed accordingly. It is for internal use and not to be quoted. 1. WHO 2. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 3. National Disaster Management Centers. 4. UN 5. International and national media.

4