DHAKA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- The death toll over the cyclone which hit Bangladesh's southern and southwestern coastal areas last Thursday night, climbed up to 3,167 until Wednesday afternoon.

    According to the Armed Forces Division, 14 more deaths have been confirmed, compared with the figure 3,153 which was also released by the army Tuesday afternoon.

An old man prays on his house damaged by cyclone in Barguna district, 300 km south of Dhaka on Nov. 19, 2007. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Besides, latest report by the Food and Disaster Management Ministry shows Wednesday, some 200 sub-districts of 30 districts came under the fury of the storm, which made landfall from the Bay of Bengal with terrifying wind speeds up to 240 kph.

    As some 2,000 people still remained missing in the affected districts, the death toll might go up further.

    Around 5.5 million people of 1.3 million families have been passing their days in miseries, as most of them rendered homeless by the storms.

    According to the report, a total of more than 1.1 million houses were either completely or partially damaged by the tempest, while some 352,000 livestock and poultry birds perished during the hurricane.

    Standing crops on some 153,000 acres (about 620,00 hectares) of land were completely damaged during the storm while it damaged crops on around 1.3 million acres (513,000 hectares) partially.

    The catastrophic cyclone was one of the fiercest cyclones that had hit Bangladesh in the 131 years between 1876 and 2007.

Map of Bangladesh showing where Cyclone Sidr left a trail of destruction. Soldiers and relief workers were racing to get aid to millions left destitute by the cyclone in Bangladesh, where the official death toll is certain to rise. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Bangladesh's caretaker government Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Tuesday said the government would welcome assistance from Bangladesh's friendly countries and development partners when addressing the nation.

    The World Bank Wednesday offered up to 250 million U.S. dollars to help millions of Bangladeshis recover and strengthen the country's disaster mitigation systems.  

    Bangladesh Army chief assures all possible help for cyclone victims

    DHAKA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed Tuesday assured all possible help from the government for the victims of cyclone Sidr that slammed inland from the bay last Thursday night and wrecked the country's southern region.

    He called on the countrymen to come forward in aid of the victims during a visit to Sharankhola, the worst hit remote sub-district of the coastal district Bagerhat, 140 km southwest of capital Dhaka. Full story

    U.S. to send 2 navy ships to Bangladesh

    DHAKA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States will send two naval ships to Bangladesh on Nov. 24 and 27 with helicopters, medical teams and evacuation teams on board to support the on-going relief and rescue operations.

    Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Henrietta Fore announced it to reporters here Tuesday after visiting some areas badly struck by last Thursday's deadly cyclone Sidr. Full story

    Pakistan to send relief goods to cyclone-hit people in Bangladesh

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani government will send relief goods, including medicines, blankets and food items for those affected in cyclone in Bangladesh, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.

    Chairman of Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt Gen (Retd) Farooq Ahmad Khan is in contact with the concerned authorities in Bangladesh to make arrangements for the goods, the ministry said. Full story

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