Cyclone Aila toll up to 191 in India, Bangladesh

Dantheman62 · 05-27-2009, 05:41 PM

CALCUTTA, India – Heavy rains caused deadly mudslides and slowed rescue efforts Wednesday after Cyclone Aila pounded eastern India and Bangladesh, killing at least 191 people.

The cyclone destroyed thousands of homes and stranded millions of people in flooded villages before it began to ease Tuesday. The death toll will likely rise in both countries as rescue workers reach cut-off areas.

Mudslides in India's famed Darjeeling tea district killed at least 22 people overnight, said Asim Dasgupta, the finance minister of the worst-affected West Bengal state in India.

The official death toll in India stood at 78 by Wednesday, Dasgupta told reporters, adding about 2.3 million people were affected or stranded in flooded villages.

Bangladesh's Food and Disaster Management Ministry said the toll there was 113 after more bodies were found. Most victims drowned or were washed away when storm surges hit coastal areas.

Soldiers have been deployed to take food, water and medicine to hundreds of thousands of people stranded in flooded villages, Bangladeshi Minister Abdur Razzak told reporters Wednesday. In India rescuers evacuated more than 41,000 people by Wednesday, Dasgupta said.

At least 500,000 villagers were affected or stranded, mostly by flash floods caused by tidal surges, said Ziaul Alam, the local administrator in Bangladesh's Khulna district.

The cyclone also caused damage in the Sundarbans, a tangle of mangrove forests that is home to one of the world's largest tiger populations.

Conservationists expressed concern over the tigers' fate.

At least one tiger from the flooded reserve took refuge in a house. Forest guards tranquilized it and were planning to release it once the waters subside, said Belinda Wright of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, which assisted in the operation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090527/..._india_cyclone

skyrimirre · 06-06-2009, 03:00 AM

Home :: News :: 26052009
Sundarbans devastated by Cyclone Aila

26 May, 2009

The situation in the Sundarbans, after cyclone Aila hit the area yesterday, is desperate. The cyclone left more than 24,000 people homeless, with villages flooded with saline water, and houses and boats destroyed. Most of the people are now huddled on the embankments and on top of the few permanent constructions. WPSI's tiger conservation centre on Bali Island is flooded but still intact. About 5,000 villagers from Bali village are now marooned on the first floor and roof of the nearby school, with no drinking water or food.

We managed to get the WPSI boat 'Baghini' back in the water this morning. It was one of the first undamaged boats to operate again in the Sunderbans, and our team - led by WPSI's field officer Anil Mistry - left immediately to help with the rescue of a tigress that had entered a house in Jamespur, in Gosaba block. The area was flooded and after the tigress had been tranquilised, it had to be transported in a small boat before loading onto the Forest Department launch. The operation was conducted by the Forest Department under the able leadership of the Field Director, Mr Subrat Mukherjee, and went very smoothly. The tigress will be released as soon as possible. In addition, deer have been rescued from Bali and Chhotomollakhali.

A vehicle left Kolkata today for Bali with medicines, bleaching powder and other provisions, courtesy of Samarpan, Help Tourism and Great Eastern Hotel. WPSI's Honorary Director, Col. Shakti Banerjee, is coordinating rescue efforts from Kolkata and he is in constant touch with the Government of West Bengal, to arrange helicopter sorties to drop rations in the worst affected areas.

The Wildlife Conservation Trust and Hemendra Kothari Foundation have generously given funds for WPSI's immediate rescue work in the Sundarbans. Please contact us if you would like to help support the rescue efforts.
http://www.wpsi-india.org/news/26052009.php

05-27-2009, 05:41 PM	#1
Dantheman62 Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: So. Cal. U.S. Posts: 4,205	Cyclone Aila toll up to 191 in India, Bangladesh CALCUTTA, India – Heavy rains caused deadly mudslides and slowed rescue efforts Wednesday after Cyclone Aila pounded eastern India and Bangladesh, killing at least 191 people. The cyclone destroyed thousands of homes and stranded millions of people in flooded villages before it began to ease Tuesday. The death toll will likely rise in both countries as rescue workers reach cut-off areas. Mudslides in India's famed Darjeeling tea district killed at least 22 people overnight, said Asim Dasgupta, the finance minister of the worst-affected West Bengal state in India. The official death toll in India stood at 78 by Wednesday, Dasgupta told reporters, adding about 2.3 million people were affected or stranded in flooded villages. Bangladesh's Food and Disaster Management Ministry said the toll there was 113 after more bodies were found. Most victims drowned or were washed away when storm surges hit coastal areas. Soldiers have been deployed to take food, water and medicine to hundreds of thousands of people stranded in flooded villages, Bangladeshi Minister Abdur Razzak told reporters Wednesday. In India rescuers evacuated more than 41,000 people by Wednesday, Dasgupta said. At least 500,000 villagers were affected or stranded, mostly by flash floods caused by tidal surges, said Ziaul Alam, the local administrator in Bangladesh's Khulna district. The cyclone also caused damage in the Sundarbans, a tangle of mangrove forests that is home to one of the world's largest tiger populations. Conservationists expressed concern over the tigers' fate. At least one tiger from the flooded reserve took refuge in a house. Forest guards tranquilized it and were planning to release it once the waters subside, said Belinda Wright of the Wildlife Protection Society of India, which assisted in the operation. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090527/..._india_cyclone

06-06-2009, 03:00 AM	#2
skyrimirre Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: satsuma Posts: 66	Re: Cyclone Aila toll up to 191 in India, Bangladesh Home :: News :: 26052009 Sundarbans devastated by Cyclone Aila 26 May, 2009 The situation in the Sundarbans, after cyclone Aila hit the area yesterday, is desperate. The cyclone left more than 24,000 people homeless, with villages flooded with saline water, and houses and boats destroyed. Most of the people are now huddled on the embankments and on top of the few permanent constructions. WPSI's tiger conservation centre on Bali Island is flooded but still intact. About 5,000 villagers from Bali village are now marooned on the first floor and roof of the nearby school, with no drinking water or food. We managed to get the WPSI boat 'Baghini' back in the water this morning. It was one of the first undamaged boats to operate again in the Sunderbans, and our team - led by WPSI's field officer Anil Mistry - left immediately to help with the rescue of a tigress that had entered a house in Jamespur, in Gosaba block. The area was flooded and after the tigress had been tranquilised, it had to be transported in a small boat before loading onto the Forest Department launch. The operation was conducted by the Forest Department under the able leadership of the Field Director, Mr Subrat Mukherjee, and went very smoothly. The tigress will be released as soon as possible. In addition, deer have been rescued from Bali and Chhotomollakhali. A vehicle left Kolkata today for Bali with medicines, bleaching powder and other provisions, courtesy of Samarpan, Help Tourism and Great Eastern Hotel. WPSI's Honorary Director, Col. Shakti Banerjee, is coordinating rescue efforts from Kolkata and he is in constant touch with the Government of West Bengal, to arrange helicopter sorties to drop rations in the worst affected areas. The Wildlife Conservation Trust and Hemendra Kothari Foundation have generously given funds for WPSI's immediate rescue work in the Sundarbans. Please contact us if you would like to help support the rescue efforts. http://www.wpsi-india.org/news/26052009.php