Bangladesh Cyclone Death Toll Grows

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1293271,00.html

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Originally Posted by skynews

The death toll from the cyclone that hit Bangladesh has risen to at least 3,110 with more than 1,000 still reported missing.

http://static.sky.com/images/pictures/1612324.jpg This girl has lost her home to Sidr

But aid agencies warn that the number of dead could reach 15,000.
The country's government has declared the disaster "a national calamity".
Military ships and helicopters are trying to reach thousands of people believed to be stranded on islands in the Bay of Bengal and along coastal areas still cut off by the storm.
"It will take several days to complete the search and know the actual casualty figure and extent of damage to property," said food and disaster ministry official Ayub Miah.
Britain is to give £2.5m in aid to Bangladesh to help the victims.
Tens of thousands of people are in need of food, drinking water and shelter after the storm, which was the worst to hit Bangladesh since 1991, when nearly 143,000 people died.
Cyclone Sidr smashed into the country's southern coastline with 155mph winds that whipped up a 16-foot tidal surge.
Most of the deaths were caused by the surge washing away homes and strong winds blowing down buildings. Many people drowned or were lost at sea.
Red Crescent officials said some 1,000 fishermen and about 150 boats were still unaccounted for in the Bay of Bengal.
Fishermen picked up by a trawler said they saw dozens of bodies floating in the waters near the Sundarban mangrove forest.

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