A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the crisis
On 26 May 2024, Cyclone Remal made landfall near the Mongla and Khepupara coasts in Bangladesh and West Bengal of India. According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the highest recorded wind speed was 111 kilometres/hour (km/h) at 1:30 AM on 27 May 2024 (local time), in Khepupara, located in the coastal district of Patuakhali. The storm surge, accompanied by extremely heavy rainfall, caused flooding of 5 to 8 feet in the coastal districts. The eight most impacted districts are Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Barguna, Jhalokathi, and Bhola.
According to the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR), about 4.6 million people were affected by Cyclone Remal in 19 districts, and 16 people died across seven districts. Approximately 807,023 people were evacuated to 9,424 evacuation shelters across 19 districts.
Over 173,000 houses were damaged, including 40,338 that were completely uninhabitable. About 80,591 hectares of cultivable land were inundated. Additionally, 50,000 fish enclosures, 34,000 ponds, and 4,000 crab farms were severely flooded, disrupting food supply chains, and exacerbating livelihoods and food insecurity. More than 530,000 farmers have been affected by damage to crops worth BDT 10,595 million (USD 90.7 million).
Cyclone Remal has severely impacted Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) conditions. Initial data from the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) indicated that 20,260 water points were damaged, including 1,536 which were fully destroyed. A further 134,269 latrines were damaged, with 24,407 completely unusable, across the eight affected districts. WASH services at 550 healthcare facilities and 1,175 shelters (including schools) were also damaged. In addition to increasing salinity, the tropical storm, storm surge, and embankment collapse caused damage, flooding, and contamination of water sources like ponds. As as result, people face a higher risk of contracting waterborne illnesses since they did not have access to sufficient sanitation or clean drinking water.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), a 20-bed hospital in Kuakata and 20 community clinics in the divisions of Barishal and Khulna were reported damaged. Some medicines and logistics facilities were compromised as water entered the hospital’s medicine store. The Upazila Health Complex (UHC) in Patuakhali and a few Union Parishads in Koyra were also destroyed.
On 26 May 2024, the BDRCS called for an emergency coordination meeting with the Honourable State Minister of the MoDMR, the Honourable Chairman and Directors of the BDRCS along with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and IFRC’s in-country members. CHF 1 million was allocated as an immediate loan from IFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the BDRCS in addressing the immediate needs of the affected people on 27 May 2024. The IFRC launched a Federation-wide Emergency Appeal on 29 May 2024 for CHF 12.5 million (IFRC Secretariat – CHF 10 million) at the request of the BDRCS to assist 650,000 affected people.
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the crisis
On 26 May 2024, Cyclone Remal made landfall near the Mongla and Khepupara coasts in Bangladesh and West Bengal of India. According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the highest recorded wind speed was 111 kilometres/hour (km/h) at 1:30 AM on 27 May 2024 (local time), in Khepupara, located in the coastal district of Patuakhali. The storm surge, accompanied by extremely heavy rainfall, caused flooding of 5 to 8 feet in the coastal districts. The eight most impacted districts are Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Barguna, Jhalokathi, and Bhola.
According to the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR), about 4.6 million people were affected by Cyclone Remal in 19 districts, and 16 people died across seven districts. Approximately 807,023 people were evacuated to 9,424 evacuation shelters across 19 districts.
Over 173,000 houses were damaged, including 40,338 that were completely uninhabitable. About 80,591 hectares of cultivable land were inundated. Additionally, 50,000 fish enclosures, 34,000 ponds, and 4,000 crab farms were severely flooded, disrupting food supply chains, and exacerbating livelihoods and food insecurity. More than 530,000 farmers have been affected by damage to crops worth BDT 10,595 million (USD 90.7 million).
Cyclone Remal has severely impacted Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) conditions. Initial data from the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) indicated that 20,260 water points were damaged, including 1,536 which were fully destroyed. A further 134,269 latrines were damaged, with 24,407 completely unusable, across the eight affected districts. WASH services at 550 healthcare facilities and 1,175 shelters (including schools) were also damaged. In addition to increasing salinity, the tropical storm, storm surge, and embankment collapse caused damage, flooding, and contamination of water sources like ponds. As as result, people face a higher risk of contracting waterborne illnesses since they did not have access to sufficient sanitation or clean drinking water.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), a 20-bed hospital in Kuakata and 20 community clinics in the divisions of Barishal and Khulna were reported damaged. Some medicines and logistics facilities were compromised as water entered the hospital’s medicine store. The Upazila Health Complex (UHC) in Patuakhali and a few Union Parishads in Koyra were also destroyed.
On 26 May 2024, the BDRCS called for an emergency coordination meeting with the Honourable State Minister of the MoDMR, the Honourable Chairman and Directors of the BDRCS along with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and IFRC’s in-country members. CHF 1 million was allocated as an immediate loan from IFRC’s Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the BDRCS in addressing the immediate needs of the affected people on 27 May 2024. The IFRC launched a Federation-wide Emergency Appeal on 29 May 2024 for CHF 12.5 million (IFRC Secretariat – CHF 10 million) at the request of the BDRCS to assist 650,000 affected people.
Summary of Cyclone Remal Crisis:
On 26 May 2024, Cyclone Remal struck the coasts of Bangladesh and West Bengal, India, causing widespread devastation. The highest wind speed recorded was 111 km/h in Khepupara. The cyclone resulted in flooding of up to 8 feet in coastal districts, impacting eight districts the most. Approximately 4.6 million people were affected, with 16 fatalities reported. Around 807,023 individuals were evacuated to shelters. Over 173,000 houses were damaged, and 80,591 hectares of farmland were inundated, severely disrupting food supply chains and affecting more than 530,000 farmers.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) conditions deteriorated significantly, with over 20,000 water points and 134,269 latrines damaged. Healthcare facilities also suffered, with a 20-bed hospital and 20 community clinics damaged. In response, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) mobilized resources, including a CHF 1 million loan and an emergency appeal for CHF 12.5 million to assist 650,000 affected individuals.