Contact: U.S. Agency for International Development Press Office, 202-712-4320; Public Information, 202-712-4810

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 /Standard Newswire/ -- The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will provide $5 million to the World Food Program (WFP) for the emergency operation in Bangladesh in the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr. The WFP emergency operation will provide immediate relief assistance to over 2.2 million affected people and help restore livelihoods and rural community infrastructures in Bangladesh.

Including this new funding, USAID is now providing a total of more than $19.5 million in emergency funds, commodities, food aid and transportation to assist relief and early recovery efforts in Bangladesh.

U.S. emergency assistance to Bangladesh began long before Cyclone Sidr with ongoing disaster preparedness and mitigation programs. On November 16, one day after the cyclone made landfall, the United States Government - through USAID - began providing emergency assistance to the people of Bangladesh in coordination with local authorities.

USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), composed of sectoral experts including those in water and sanitation, health, shelter, livelihoods and food security, was immediately deployed to Bangladesh to help manage the U.S. response in coordination with the U.S. Embassy and USAID Mission in Dhaka, the U.S. Department of Defense and the Government of Bangladesh.

After initial rapid assessments by the DART, immediate U.S. relief efforts have focused on the urgent need for potable water, food, and shelter. Members of the team are currently in the affected areas working alongside Bangladeshi counterparts to assess additional needs and areas where the U.S. might be of assistance.

In support of USAID and in cooperation with the humanitarian community and Bangladesh government, the U.S. Department of Defense is also providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Bangladesh. U.S. Pacific Command is providing transportation assistance, to include heavy lift helicopter support. U.S. Navy and Marine Corps helicopters from the USS Kearsarge and the USS Tarawa will assist with the transportation of relief supplies, equipment and personnel.

For more information about USAID's emergency humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh, please visit: www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/cyclone_sidr/.