KANAINAGAR, Bangladesh (ABP) — Baptists joined an international relief effort in Bangladesh after a cyclone killed more than 3,400 people in the Ganges River delta along the Bay of Bengal.
Baptist World Aid, the relief and development arm of the Baptist World Alliance, is working in partnership with the Bangladesh Baptist Church Sangha and the Bangladesh Baptist Church Fellowship.
Both conventions provided food to storm survivors. The relief department for the Bangladesh Baptist Church Sangha also committed to help 150 families rebuild their bamboo homes, which were lashed by Cyclone Sidr's 155-mph winds.
The death toll could reach 10,000 once rescuers reach outlying islands, according to assessments compiled by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.
“Once again, the poorest of the poor have been hit worst and need our full support,” said Paul Montacute, director of BWAid. “We will be working with Baptists in Bangladesh, the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation and other Baptist groups in providing help and assistance.”
The Bangladeshi government did well in providing relief supplies before the storm hit, said Jim Brown, U.S. director for Baptist Global Response. And military helicopters continue to drop emergency rations into areas not yet accessible by road, according to news reports.
“The government, military and major relief organizations are all doing a good job providing initial relief materials to the affected area,” Brown said. “But there are always gaps in relief efforts. Our strategy is to work with the Bangladesh Baptist Convention to identify areas that are not being adequately helped and focus our efforts there.”
The Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board has released $50,000 in relief funds, but because relief efforts will be undertaken in multiple areas, requests for additional funds are expected.
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— Compiled from reports by the Baptist World Alliance and Baptist Global Response.