WFP, USAID hand over 30 rehabilitated cyclone shelters

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have handed over 30 newly rehabilitated cyclone shelters in Ukhiya and Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar to the government.

The handover ceremony took place in one of the rehabilitated shelters in Teknaf, said a press release on Thursday.

The shelters will protect approximately 20,000 people during an emergency and were structurally rehabilitated as part of the second phase of the WFP’s disaster preparedness programme funded by the USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA).

This is aimed at strengthening the capacity of local government actors and communities to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, read the release.

“Cox’s Bazar is one of the most vulnerable and disaster-prone regions of Bangladesh, which is why we have prioritised strengthening the resilience of the local community to save lives during natural disasters,” said Sheila Grudem, senior emergency coordinator for the WFP in Cox’s Bazar.

“We believe this rehabilitation work will have a durable positive impact on people’s lives in this area,” she added.

Cox’s Bazar is regularly exposed to natural hazards, such as tropical cyclones and associated storm surges, flash floods, and landslides.

The WFP’s rehabilitation work included making the shelters more resilient to strong winds and floods and more accessible to persons with disabilities, and adding water and sanitation facilities as well as solar panels for electricity.

The project employed around 4,000 host community members in Cox’s Bazar throughout the eight months of rehabilitation work. Community volunteers received cash from the WFP for their contribution.

“I express my gratitude to the WFP and the USAID for their support for this important work in the host communities of Cox’s Bazar,” said Srabasti Roy, senior representative of the Cox’s Bazar deputy commissioner.

She said the cyclone shelters would contribute much to protecting the community during heavy rains and floods.

“On most days, these buildings serve as schools or municipal offices, but when the next disaster strikes, they will each keep 800-1,000 people safe from flooding, landslides, rain, and wind,” said Randy Ali, deputy mission director at the USAID.

“We are proud of the work we have accomplished to help Cox’s Bazar become more resilient to disasters and also of our collaborative partnership with the WFP, the government of Bangladesh, local organisations, and most importantly, the communities we are supporting,” he added.