Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Dacca (Agenzia Fides) - The local community of Oblate Missionaries of Immaculate Mary in Bangladesh has mobilised to provide assistance to victims of recent devastating cyclones which destroyed homes and crops in July and August and the recent present typhoon Sidr which gradually gathered strength in the Bengal Gulf reaching winds of 210 Km/h, and even as high as 230 Km/h.
The typhoon left over 200 people dead, thousands of homes destroyed and hundreds of thousands of displaced persons: the homeless are 70,000. The most affected areas Patuakhali, Barguna and Jhalakathi were hit by a 5 mt high sea wave, communications with them are interrupted.
According to www.omiworld.org OMI missionaries in Dacca, together with other Catholic religious communities and lay people have organised a programme to assist 1,650 families affected by the cyclones, and who have suffered the loss of life and material goods.
Catholic volunteers managed with great difficulty to reach one of the most isolated areas where they distributed emergency aid kits, food and assisted many lost children and old people. Although Bangladesh is a Muslim majority country with Islam as the religion of the 98% population, Christian assistance is offered to everyone without distinction of race, religion, nationality or culture. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 16/11/2007 righe 26 parole 264)
