VZCZCXRO1850
OO RUEHCI
DE RUEHKA #1879/01 3361354
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021354Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5698
INFO RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 9400
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 1038
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0329
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 2616
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 8194
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 8291
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1923
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0417
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0598
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0048
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 001879 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SES-O 
DEPT FOR SCA/PB, SCA/EX 
DCHA/OFDA FOR ROBERT THAYER 
AID/W FOR AA MARK WARD AND ANE ANNE DIX 
DCHA/FFP FOR MATTHEW NIMS AND PAUL NOVICK 
ROME FOR FODAG 
BANGKOK FOR RDM/A TOM DOLAN, ROB BARTON 
KATHMANDU FOR USAID OFDA BILL BERGER AND SUE MCINTYRE 
TREASURY FOR ELIZABETH WEISS AND SUSAN CHUN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREL ASEC CASC AMGT SOCI ECON PINR EAGR SENV
BG 
 
SUBJECT:  USAID/OFDA Cyclone Sidr Situation Report #8:  USAID/DART's 
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Advisor Assesses Remote 
Cyclone-Affected Areas 
 
 
DHAKA 00001879  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. Summary.  From November 28 to December 2, the water, sanitation, 
and hygiene (WASH) advisor from USAID's Disaster Assistance Response 
Team (USAID/DART), along with a USAID/DART communications officer 
and staff from USAID/Bangladesh, traveled to cyclone-affected areas 
in Barisal, Patuakhali, Khulna, and Barguna districts.  Through 
ongoing assessments, the USAID/DART is identifying potential gaps in 
relief efforts and opportunities for transition to recovery and 
rehabilitation phases of the response.  The USAID/DART reports that 
the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) is meeting the most immediate 
food and water needs in central, more accessible areas.  However, 
GOB and non-governmental organization (NGO) assistance is 
interspersed and less coordinated throughout more remote areas, such 
as communities along the Bhola River west of Sarankhola town, Khulna 
District and the coastal areas and islands south of the 
Kalapara/Patharghata parallel, which are accessible only by boat. 
Affected populations in these areas continue to require emergency 
relief commodities.  The USAID/DART WASH advisor recommends focusing 
humanitarian assistance on remote populations with less access to 
relief and services.  Immediate interventions should include more 
regular food distributions of higher quantities, continued water 
purification assistance, and provision of additional relief 
commodities including clothes and cooking utensils.  The USAID/DART 
advisor recommends that medium-term assistance begins immediately 
and focuses on recovery assistance, such as seeds, tools, and 
livelihood assets, cash availability to increase purchasing power, 
shelter assistance, and rehabilitation of WASH infrastructure.  End 
summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
USAID/DART COVERAGE OF CYCLONE-AFFECTED AREAS 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. From November 28 to December 2, the USAID/DART WASH Advisor and 
USAID/Bangladesh traveled to Muladee community north of Barisal 
town, Sarankhola town in Khulna District, Galachipa town in 
Patuakhali District, and a number of island and coastal areas south 
of 21030Q between Kalapara and Patharghata towns.  [Note.  These 
areas include Nashabara, Kalapara ferry crossing, S. Jalikari, 
Newpara, Taltoli, Bariatoli, Jalbhanga, Lotakota, Bainshamptru, 
Amtoli, Chonmoni, and Lakutola.  End note] 
 
----------------------- 
USAID/DART OBSERVATIONS 
----------------------- 
 
¶3. In areas with humanitarian access, priority needs identified by 
GOB officials and affected populations include shelter; cash to 
increase purchasing power; livelihood assistance such as boat 
repair, productive asset restoration, and provision of seeds and 
tools; and provision of emergency relief commodities including 
clothes and cooking utensils.  In more remote areas, which are 
accessible only by boat, GOB officials and affected communities have 
prioritized continued food distribution as an urgent need. 
Additionally, communities have identified the need for clean water 
through purification, rehabilitation of damaged water points, and 
cleaning of ponds.  Finally, shelter, livelihoods interventions, 
incoming generating activities, and the distribution of emergency 
relief commodities can help meet immediate needs. 
 
¶4. The USAID/DART reported that the GOB is effectively providing 
 
DHAKA 00001879  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
food distributions during the emergency phase.  Populations in most 
areas the USAID/DART visited have received a minimum of 3 to 5 
kilograms of rice.  NGOs are providing rations, such as oil, pulses, 
sugar, and salt, that complement the GOB program.  However, this 
assistance has not covered all affected areas.  The GOB plans to 
continue providing rice distributions until March.  In addition, the 
GOB has announced its Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) program, 
pledging approximately 2.8 million cards, where each family will 
receive one card.  As of December 1, a limited number of people 
reportedly have received cards.  Given the logistical challenges of 
delivering food commodities to remote areas, it remains uncertain 
how effective and widespread the VGF program will be.  In some 
areas, the VGF program is scheduled to deliver food to less than 30 
percent of the population.  Although NGOs have filled many gaps, 
coordination remains a humanitarian challenge particularly in remote 
areas.  GOB officials suggest the need to fill additional gaps, 
especially in logistics.  The USAID/DART reported that although food 
distributions throughout affected areas remain uneven and 
uncoordinated, there have been no reports of acute malnutrition due 
to food scarcity. 
 
¶5. In large towns and other accessible locations, the GOB is 
ensuring clean water, principally with water purification units.  In 
Sarankhola Upazilla, Cyclone Sidr damaged 113 out of 215 Pond Sand 
Filtration (PSF) systems, which are designed to treat pond water. 
Six water purification units, half of which are mobile, are 
currently satisfying humanitarian water needs.  In the medium term, 
the USAID/DART advisor recommends repairing the PSF systems. 
 
¶6. In more remote areas, the GOB and the U.N. Children's Fund 
(UNICEF) have provided water purification tablets.  On the islands 
and coastal areas of Galachipa Upazilla, as well as the islands 
south of the Kalapara/Patharghata parallel, reports suggest damage 
to more than 615 tube wells, or approximately 50 percent of existing 
wells.  Additionally, the impact of the cyclone led to contaminated 
open ponds previously used for water consumption.  Along the Bhola 
River to the west of Sarankhola, the GOB suggests significant water 
needs.  Throughout these areas, residents are purifying river water 
or contaminated pond water with the tablets.  The GOB has not yet 
reported outbreaks of water-borne diseases; however, health risks 
will inevitably increase without additional distribution of 
purification tablets along with water point rehabilitation and 
cleaning. 
 
¶7. Although a local GOB official suggested that the impact of the 
cyclone damaged nearly 13,000 latrines, USAID/DART assessments are 
not consistent with this figure.  Many latrines were indeed washed 
away by the cyclone; however, latrine coverage prior to the cyclone 
was not robust.  On the peninsula south and southwest of Barguna 
town, many temporary settlements of 10,000 to 15,000 people reside 
along the roadside to wait for water logging to reside.  In 
addition, these populations fear that assistance will not reach them 
off of the main road.  NGOs are currently providing food, water, and 
minimal latrine coverage, but are encouraging people to move back to 
home villages without delay. 
 
¶8. Other than rice distributions and cash pledges, the USAID/DART 
has witnessed limited GOB deliveries of relief commodities in the 
field.  NGOs have strategically distributed water containers 
throughout cyclone-affected areas; however, aid agencies have 
 
DHAKA 00001879  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
attempted to meet other needs, such as clothes and cooking utensils, 
in a more ad hoc fashion.  Even though goods from neighboring 
districts are pouring into markets, purchasing power remains limited 
for poorer households. 
 
¶9. The USAID/DART reported protection issues, especially in 
temporary camps and settlements where humanitarian sanitation 
infrastructure is limited.  Additionally, in many areas, people do 
not have sufficient articles of clothing.  At these locations, women 
are forced to bathe at night, thereby raising protection concerns. 
 
 
-------------------------- 
USAID/DART RECOMMENDATIONS 
-------------------------- 
 
¶10. Continued food assistance from international donors should be 
coordinated and should target remote, inaccessible areas.  The 
USAID/DART recommends focusing logistical support to ensure food 
delivery to isolated, outlying areas.  In addition, the 
mainstreaming of one month food rations could reduce logistical 
costs. 
 
¶11. Continued WASH assessments should focus on remote areas. 
Short-term assistance should ensure adequate water purification 
mechanisms, such as provision of clean water in central areas as 
well as distribution of water purification tablets in remote areas 
where drinking ponds are contaminated, water infrastructure is 
damaged, and people are drinking river water.  Medium-term water 
assistance should include rehabilitation of damaged WASH 
infrastructure and cleaning of ponds. 
 
¶12.  Cash distributions and cash-for-work can be considered to 
assist people in addressing needs such as shelter, livelihoods, and 
emergency relief goods.  The USAID/DART livelihoods advisor will 
elaborate further on appropriate livelihoods interventions [see 
septel]. 
 
¶13.  The USAID/DART recommends continued attention on protection 
issues. 
 
 
PASI