HCTT Humanitarian Response Plan 2024 for Cyclone Remal, June – Dec 2024

Just two weeks ago, on May 26, 2024, Cyclone Remal made landfall in Bangladesh, remaining on land for approximately 48 hours. The cyclone spanned an area of 400 square kilometers and caused storm surges 8 to 12 feet above normal levels. In a matter of hours, it displaced 800,000 people. 

Thanks to the rapid dissemination of early warning messages by local and national authorities and volunteers many lives were saved. People found refuge in 9,424 evacuation centers swiftly opened by the government. Early action by the government and local civil society saved lives, but the devastation left by the cyclone remains enormous. From the Government’s preliminary information and the humanitarian community’s assessments, we know that 4.6 million people were affected by the cyclone. In eight districts (Barguna, Bhola, Pirojpur, Satkhira, Patuakhali, Bagerhat, Barishal, Khulna) a total of 433,745 people require health services, including 45,543 children under five and 9,976 pregnant women. Immediate needs include restoration of access to  drinking water as well as to sanitation facilities.  

A total of 20,543 water points were damaged, of which 1,570 were completely destroyed. Of the 134,501 latrines damaged by the cyclone, 24,407 were totally destroyed. People are still living in shelters or with relatives, since  a total of 173,866 houses were damaged, of which 40,338 houses were destroyed. Schoolchildren are unable to attend the 964 cyclone damaged Government Primary Schools (GPS), 795 in Barishal and 169 in Khulna. Over half a million farmers (537,234) have been affected by damage to crops worth BDT 10,595 million (US$ 90.7 million)  over 62,783 hectares of land.  

In line with the identified priorities and to complement the support of the government, the Humanitarian Coordination Task Team (HCTT) has developed this humanitarian plan to assist 784,000 people, focusing on the most vulnerable groups, including children, women, and people with disabilities. The group is firmly committed to addressing the protection needs of these groups, including their exposure to discrimination and sexual and gender-based violence. 

As the partners work through this critical phase, we will strive to build bridges for early recovery and reconstruction to mitigate any long-term impact on lives and livelihoods in the affected regions. They will collaborate closely with national and local organizations under the leadership of the government to reduce disaster risk through both humanitarian and development actions. 

For further queries: Aleyda Valdes,  Humanitarian Affairs Adviser, Office of the UN Resident Coordinator, valdes@un.org