Christians help Bangladesh cyclone victims

Churches and Christians in the country have volunteered to help and aid the injured and desolated families in the devastating tropical cyclone that killed more than 2000 and rendering thousands homeless in Bangladesh.

Officials confirmed at least 650,000 were forced from their homes in Bangladesh yesterday, after a ferocious storm sent 15 feet of water surging inland.

Aid workers were also finding it difficult to get through on roads that were washed–out and in places blocked by debris to deliver relief material to people stranded by the floodwaters.

Meantime, thousands of people including many Christians in Orissa thanked God as the speeding cyclone veered past the state.

The parish priest of the Cuttack Cathedral, Fr Sudahkar Senapati told ICNS, "Thousands of people had prayed to Almighty that the severe cyclone do not hit Orissa. Now they are offering prayers in gratitude to God for mitigating the disaster."

Churches in several states have organised prayer meet after panic gripped the local residents.

Meanwhile, World Vision said it was putting together seven–day packages for families that would include rice, oil, sugar, salt, candles and blankets. The group is appealing for $1.5 million in further funds to assist some 9.300 families rebuild their homes.

Bangladesh authorities made a massive effort to move 3.2 million people in vulnerable areas to safety. In the end, they were only able to move 600,000 people into cyclone shelters and higher ground.