Cyclone Aila

When did Cyclone Aila happen?

25th May 2009

How many people died?

190

How many people became homeless?

750 000

How many people were affected in total?

3.5 million

What diseases spread?

Typhoid and malaria

How many people had not returned by mid-2010?

20 000

What did many people do?

They migrated and forced to live slums

How was education affected?

Children could not go to school due to homelessness

What do weather forecasts do?

Forecast cyclones through tv and radio

How have weather forecasts been successful in Bangladesh?

They have halved the death rate and forecasts are followed by evacuations

What are challenges with weather forecasts?

Not everyone hears them as they don't have tech

What does satellite technology do?

Track cyclones

How has satellite technology been successful?

It has been done before

What are the challenges of satellite technology?

It's expensive

What are the warning systems?

They allow people to evacuate and are spread through village meetings, poster, film, etc.

How have warning systems been successful?

They have led to evacuations in coastal communities

What are the challenges of warning systems?

Some people don't respond and illiterate people cannot read warnings

What do evacuations involve?

People go to safety shelters which can hold 5000

How evacuations been successful?

Most people who go survive

What are the challenges of evacuations?

In areas without shelters deaths double and more shelters are needed

What are storm surge defences?

They are defences on low-lying land

How have storm surge defences been successful?

Main roads have been built on top of defences

What are the challenges of storm surges?

It's impossible to protect the whole country