May 29, 2024

Cyclone Remal leaves trail of destruction in Bangladesh – 8 million people impacted, 35,000 homes destroyed

Press releases Bangladesh climate change humanitarian response

Send Care to Bangladesh: Donate to help individuals impacted by Cyclone Remal!

Cyclone Remal strikes southern coast of Bangladesh.

DHAKA, 28 May 2024 – Cyclone Remal has impacted 8.4 million people across coastal Bangladesh. The full extent of the devastation is yet to be accounted for as 15,000 telecommunication towers have been disrupted by the storm, taking down communication in its wake. Reports suggest fisheries alone might have suffered the loss of over USD 41 million.

The storm killed 13 people in Bangladesh, and it damaged or destroyed more than 35,000 homes across the coastal areas, affecting about 3.5 million people, according to officials. More than 27 million people there lost electricity on Monday evening, according to power ministry officials. The South Asian country has a population of 170 million.

The cyclone affected nineteen districts, partially damaging 150,457 houses. The Government of Bangladesh has deployed over 1,400 medical teams to provide emergency healthcare. 5,500 tonnes of rice, 5,000 dry foods, BDT 15 million (approx USD 128,000) for baby food and BDT 15 million for fodder have been sanctioned for the relief. 120 km/h of wind uprooted thousands of trees and caused many brick walls to collapse.

“Nur Nahar Begum, a participant of BRAC living in Barishal, southern Bangladesh, lost her husband when the wall of the restaurant they owned collapsed on him,” said Md Ahsan Habib, Area Manager, Barishal, southern Bangladesh – one of the worst affected districts. “Not only did she lose her husband, she also lost the only source of livelihood she had”.

BRAC teams on the ground

Founded in Bangladesh 52 years ago, BRAC has mobilized thousands of its employees. BRAC staff are supporting communities with emergency food and shelter across the impacted regions:

  • 22,000 field staff, volunteers and community health workers are on the ground supporting communities with immediate needs, with a specific focus on families with persons with disabilities, elderly, and pregnant and lactating mothers
  • Emergency cash support, dry food and
  • Hundreds of families took shelter in 36 mini-cyclone shelters of BRAC in coastal districts of Patuakhali, Bhola, Barguna, Satkhira, and Bagerhat

“We are still struggling to get a full picture of the extent of the damage because cellphone communication has been severely disrupted”, said Dr Md Liakath Ali, Director, Climate Change Programme, Urban Development Programme, and Disaster Risk Management Programme, BRAC. “From what we can see so far, the most damage will be from flood waters breaking through embankments, causing saline water to flow through houses, villages and agricultural land.. We are going to have a clearer picture tomorrow (Wednesday).”

 

Notes to the editor

About BRAC

BRAC was founded in and has been working in Bangladesh for 52 years. Together with government, civil society organizations, communities and businesses, BRAC teams work with over 100 million people living with inequality and poverty to create opportunities to realize human potential. BRAC operates as a solutions ecosystem, including social development programs, social enterprises, humanitarian response, a bank, and a university. Outside of Bangladesh, BRAC works with communities in marginalized situations, hard-to-reach areas, and post-disaster settings across Asia and Africa, with a particular focus on women and children.

Experts, photos and b-roll available

  • Dr Liakath Ali
  • Other members of BRAC senior leadership if needed
  • Local teams responding on the ground in affected districts
  • Photos and b-roll available for use so long as copyright is included and images are not used out of situational context:
    • Photo 1: Mongla in Bagerhat, southern Bangladesh, 28 May 2024, Photo credit: Sadiqure Rahman, © BRAC
    • Photo 2: Mongla in Bagerhat, southern Bangladesh, 28 May 2024, Photo credit: Sadiqure Rahman, © BRAC
    • Photo 3: Mongla in Bagerhat, southern Bangladesh, 28 May 2024, Photo credit: Sadiqure Rahman, © BRAC
    • Photo 4: Mongla in Bagerhat, southern Bangladesh, 28 May 2024, Photo credit: Sadiqure Rahman, © BRAC
    • Photo 5: Mongla in Bagerhat, southern Bangladesh, 28 May 2024, Photo credit: Sadiqure Rahman, © BRAC

Media contact

WASHINGTON, DC (GMT – 5):
Mica Bevington | Phone / WhatsApp +1-202-290-9264 | [email protected]

Back to News and Media