The World Bank increased its aid pledge to cyclone hit Bangladesh by 75 million dollars on Sunday but warned that total pledges stand at less than a quarter of the 2.2 billion dollars sought.
Cyclone Sidr smashed into the Bangladesh coast on November 15, killing at least 3,300 people and followed devastating floods there earlier this year that caused combined economic losses of more than three billion dollars.
The government last month appealed for at least 2.2 billion dollars for food aid and to rebuild infrastructure shattered by both natural disasters. But total pledges so far have only reached 545 million dollars even after the World Bank increased its pledge to 325 million dollars from 250 million dollars, its South Asian chief Praful Patel said after an inspection of cyclone hit areas.
"The preliminary numbers on damages suggest that the magnitude of loss suffered by the economy due to the two natural disasters is very large-floods caused over one billion dollars and the cyclone probably over two billion dollars," Patel said.
"I appeal to everyone, most specifically to our development partners, to come forward and help the country in this hour of need," Patel, a World Bank vice president said.
Millions have been left homeless and dependent on food handouts in Bangladesh as a result of the damages. The United Nations estimates that 8.7 million people were affected by the cyclone.
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