Death Toll from Cyclone in Bangladesh Crosses 3,000

DHAKA: The death toll from the super cyclone Sidr which hit Bangladesh's southern and southwestern coastal part on Nov. 15 night, sharply rose to 3,113, according to the report released by the Armed Forced Division.

However, the confirmed death toll from the Flood and Disaster Management Ministry reached 2,817 by 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, while 2,062 still missing and 6,611 injured, Golam Kibria of the Food and Disaster Management Ministry told Xinhua Tuesday morning.

Golam said, as the army rescue operation has reached more isolated areas and received more information, their figure over the death caused by the cyclone is higher.

The armed forces have reached 90 percent of the affected areas with rescue and relief mission till Monday, and the helicopters covered most of the remote places.

So far, the armed forces have reached 100 percent of affected sub-districts level and 70 percent of village level.

"It is now still difficult to say how long it will take to complete the whole rescue work, maybe 10 or 15 days more," Golam said.

However, the unofficial figure has crossed 3,500 and may rise further, according to reports by local media.

The terrible cyclone hit 28 out of the country's 64 districts, affecting more than 4 million people of 900,000 families, leaving nearly 300,000 homeless.

Some 300,000 houses were ruined totally, while more than 600,000 houses were badly damaged. Besides, crops on land of 366,000 hectares were damaged either completely or partially.

The deadly cyclone Sidr was one of the fiercest cyclones that had hit the region of Bangladesh in the 131 years between 1876 and 2007.

The Bangladesh government Monday made international request to assist the cyclone victims and post-cyclone rehabilitation.

So far, the donor countries and agencies have pledged emergency aid of 140 million U.S. dollars.