DHAKA, 14th August 2007: A disaster-response team from Habitat for Humanity is in Bangladesh assessing the extent of damage caused by the worst floods in the country for ten years. The team, comprising representatives of HFH Bangladesh and Habitat for Humanity International, will devise plans to help existing Habitat homeowners, who have been affected to rebuild their lives as well as other families who will need permanent shelter.
First reports indicate 138 Habitat families have had their homes flooded and 214 families have lost their livelihoods.
Team members are visiting the communities on August 15th -17th to assess damage to Habitat homes and meet home partner families.
The outlines of a response are already taking shape. The first phase of the assessment will be to monitor the situation the damage down to Habitat homes. It is also planned to distribute oral re-hydration solution and water purification tablets to home partner families and other families in each community.
The second phase will assess what types of repairs are needed. To assist homeowners with their mortgage repayments, Habitat plans to cover the cost of repayments for a period of up to three or four months.
The third phase will provide funds for each family for house repairs: a figure of US$200 per family is being considered at this stage.
A fourth phase will seek to replace the livestock lost during the flooding as well as providing seeds to farmers to replant their fields.
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It is too early to know the number of families Habitat will assist, the extent of damage and the cost of any rebuilding effort.
HFH Bangladesh has built and rehabilitated approximately 1,000 homes. It operates mainly through Habitat Resource Centers and relate satellite centres in local communities. Many projects are under taken in partnership with other non-governmental organizations.
The extent of the flooding, the worst in a decade, has been immense. More than one million people have been left marooned on small patches of higher ground, their homes damaged, crops and livestock and livelihoods lost.
According to DMIC (the government Disaster Alert Agency) a total of 22,097 sq. kilometers has been inundated by flood waters with nearly eight million people affected (7,889,414 people), a number that is growing daily which could affect up to 25 million.
The DMIC has estimated that more than half a million homes have been damaged (52,297 fully; 480,435 partially).
The government has opened hundreds of temporary shelter centers. Food, drinking water, and medicines are being handed out but the risk of water-borne diseases is a concern.