A cyclone named ‘Remal’ struck the coastal areas of Bangladesh on Sunday evening, May 26, 2024, and remained within Bangladeshi territories for 34 hours until May 29, 2024. The cyclone landed at the Mongla Port in southern Bangladesh and the Sagar Island coastal region in West Bengal, India, bringing heavy rains and maximum wind speeds of 135 km/h. According to local authorities, the cyclone destroyed 35,483 homes, damaged 115,992 homes, and affected 3.75 million people in Bangladesh. The cyclone also devastated crops, uprooted trees, knocked down electricity poles, broke barriers, and washed away fish enclosures.
A local correspondent from the South Bangladesh Mission reported that seven districts in Bangladesh were heavily affected and damaged by this deadly cyclone. Numerous Seventh-day Adventist Churches in Godiapur, Bagdha, Shalabunia, Musuria, and Rajapur Circle, all within the territory of the South Bangladesh Mission, were impacted. Thousands of people, including members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, were forced to take refuge in their neighbors’ homes or spend nights under the open sky. The houses of many church members, estimated at over 600 individuals, were damaged or destroyed. The cyclone also affected their crops and fish, leaving them homeless and struggling to find necessities.
Many church members are currently suffering from a lack of clean drinking water, sanitation, food, and shelter. Kim WanSang, president of the BAUM, stated, “In a country where 91% of the population is Muslim, Seventh-day Adventists are extremely poor and vulnerable. I earnestly request that we give these individuals the hope they need to hold onto their faith and rebuild their lives.”
In response to the crisis, ADRA Korea announced the launch of a fundraising campaign on May 30, 2024, to support Bangladesh after the cyclone. They are calling for active participation and interest from church members. The funds raised through this campaign, which will run until the end of June, will be used to support the cyclone victims and assist in rebuilding the damaged churches in Bangladesh.
The situation remains dire, and urgent support is needed to help the affected communities recover from this devastating natural disaster.
The original article was published on the Northern Asia-Pacific Division website.
