Cyclone Sidr GCSE Case Study

Cyclone Sidr – 15 November 2007

Background

• Bangladesh- North end of the Bay of Bengal

• Much of the area affected was only 1m above sea level

• Very Densely populated

• Much of the food is supplied by fishing/farming

Impacts

• Winds – 140km/h, 5m Storm Surge. Category 4 on the coast

• Floods ruined farmlands + forest.  Sunderbans ( A World Heritage Site) was devastated

• Only 3500 died, ( which is low compared to the 153,000 in 1991)

• 7 Million Lives affected

• Water and Power supplies lost in Coastal areas

Preparation

• Riverbanks raised + Cyclone shelters were built after the last major disaster

• Warning systems were developed

Responses

Pre-Event

• Warnings were received from satellites. 

• Alerts were sent by mobile. 

• Where there was no TV/ Radio police cars went our to warn people. 

• 10s of thousands fled inland. 

• Rail Services stopped.

Short Term

• Relief Crews tried to reach damaged communities.

• Aid got in emergency services but this took days

• The people were angry.

Long Term

• Paddy fields were unusable.

• Water and Power supplies were slow to return

• Getting relief was slow- blocked roads + the fact supplies had to be brought in slowed the effort.