DHAKA - The plight of survivors of Bangladesh’s killercyclone Sidr was causing increasing concern Friday as relief workers struggled to ferry aid to stricken villagers a week after the disaster. More than 3,400 people are now confirmed dead after cyclone Sidr ripped through southern and central districts on November 15. Thousands more are missing feared dead. The government estimates that around 280,000 people have been left homeless. A huge military-led aid effort was underway but officials said logistical problems meant only small amounts of relief were getting through and that the pace was slow.UN resident coordinator Renata Lok Dessallien said the army believed most victims had now received some aid. ‘It is not enough necessarily for everyone but at least they have the first batch and the next batch will be close behind. Every day it has been growing steadily,’ she told AFP. Dessallien said the lack of fresh drinking water was also fuelling fears of an epidemic of water-borne diseases. ‘We are concerned about outbreaks of diarrhoea and cholera,’ she said, adding that all the aid agencies faced a major challenge in targeting relief where it was most needed.
‘The water problem is compounded by the fact that it is not just a question of purifying it, but also about the fact that much of it is saline,’ she said.