May 28, 2017
By Dharisha Bastian
Colombo, Sri Lanka — The government of Sri Lanka (click here) assessed the damage on Sunday from widespread flooding and devastating mudslides, as the death toll from the twin disasters rose and nearly half a million people were displaced from their homes.
The state-run Disaster Management Center on Sunday announced that 151 people had been killed and 112 others were missing. It said the flooding was the worst since torrential rains soaked the island nation in 2003. The authorities estimate that more than 1,800 homes have been damaged and 442,000 people affected.
Some towns were under 18 feet of water, and the navy sent boats and armored vehicles to search for survivors. They moved about 2,000 residents to safer locations over the weekend.
The authorities have ordered residents to evacuate the banks of three major rivers — the Nilwala in the south, the Gin in the west and the Kelani, which runs through the capital, Colombo — fearing that they will overflow. Even though water levels were receding by Sunday night, disaster management officials were wary as more rain was expected...
7 June 2017
...Some 658,500 people (click here) have been displaced by floods and landslides in 15 districts and 68,734 persons are living temporarily in 355 camps, following May 30 cyclone. With a further 95 missing people dead by the ministry for Public Enterprise Development and the death toll has risen above 300. Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center (DMC) estimate that over 2,500 houses were destroyed and nearly 15,900 damaged. These numbers could rise as data from damage assessments is compiled in the coming weeks....
Even with short notice about Cyclone Mora, Bangladesh did fairly well in saving lives. The latest understanding coming out of Bangladesh is:
"A total of 500,000 people managed to move out of coastal areas before the storm made landfall on May 31. A multitude of tropical cyclone warnings and watches were issued for much of southern Bangladesh and the districts of Northeast India. Strong winds and storm surge battered buildings and destroyed farmlands across Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, and Rangamati, with at least 20,000 houses damaged in refugee camps for Rohingya Muslims displaced by conflict in neighbouring Myanmar. As of May 31, nine people were reported to be killed across Bangladesh, mostly due to falling trees."
Bangladesh is a profound worry anytime there is such a storm approaching because of it's low elevation above sea level. The highest elevation of Bangladesh is 344 feet in the north, but, the southern area is 33 feet above sea level.
The people of Bangladesh, especially the southern region, live precarious lives that can be destroyed with a storm or sea level rise.
March 28, 2014
By Gardiner Harris
Dakope, Bangladesh — When a powerful storm (click here) destroyed her riverside home in 2009, Jahanara Khatun lost more than the modest roof over her head. In the aftermath, her husband died and she became so destitute that she sold her son and daughter into bonded servitude. And she may lose yet more....
Given the fact the leaders are finding far fewer dead than Sri Lanka it is safe to say they have a sincere and clear understanding of their people and I congratulate them. However, these people are still refugees and should not be overlooked in their need for help.
The image below was recorded on May 30, 2017. These images are very important to under the dangers other peoples are facing. As the USA we have a very dire responsibility with these people through direct efforts and that of the United Nations.
"A total of 500,000 people managed to move out of coastal areas before the storm made landfall on May 31. A multitude of tropical cyclone warnings and watches were issued for much of southern Bangladesh and the districts of Northeast India. Strong winds and storm surge battered buildings and destroyed farmlands across Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, and Rangamati, with at least 20,000 houses damaged in refugee camps for Rohingya Muslims displaced by conflict in neighbouring Myanmar. As of May 31, nine people were reported to be killed across Bangladesh, mostly due to falling trees."
Bangladesh is a profound worry anytime there is such a storm approaching because of it's low elevation above sea level. The highest elevation of Bangladesh is 344 feet in the north, but, the southern area is 33 feet above sea level.
The people of Bangladesh, especially the southern region, live precarious lives that can be destroyed with a storm or sea level rise.
March 28, 2014
By Gardiner Harris
Dakope, Bangladesh — When a powerful storm (click here) destroyed her riverside home in 2009, Jahanara Khatun lost more than the modest roof over her head. In the aftermath, her husband died and she became so destitute that she sold her son and daughter into bonded servitude. And she may lose yet more....
Given the fact the leaders are finding far fewer dead than Sri Lanka it is safe to say they have a sincere and clear understanding of their people and I congratulate them. However, these people are still refugees and should not be overlooked in their need for help.
The image below was recorded on May 30, 2017. These images are very important to under the dangers other peoples are facing. As the USA we have a very dire responsibility with these people through direct efforts and that of the United Nations.
Cyclone Mora (click here) pummeled Bangladesh with high winds and heavy rain on May 30, 2017. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this natural-color image of the cyclone that day.
Maximum wind speeds reached 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour, according to the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System. The organization reported that more than 11 million people were affected by winds equivalent to a category 1 hurricane—strong enough to cause damage to houses, crops, and trees.
Millions of people live in the low-lying coastal regions of Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar. Authorities in Bangladesh oversaw large-scale evacuations as storm winds battered the coast, local news sites reported. Cox’s Bazar, the town where Mora made landfall, was especially hard hit, with damage to thousands of structures, according to news reports.
In its final warning, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported that Mora should dissipate as it moves into rough terrain over northeast India.
In its final warning, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported that Mora should dissipate as it moves into rough terrain over northeast India.
