Emergency supplies sent to cyclone-hit Bangladesh

A cyclone crashed into parts of southern Bangladesh

Emergency supplies have been sent to people in Bangladesh after a cyclone battered parts of the country and caused severe flooding.

Cornish charity ShelterBox said more than 1.75 million people had been affected across the south of the country, and more than 170,000 homes had been damaged.

Response teams have been distributing corrugated iron sheeting, timber, bamboo, rope and fixings to help people make emergency shelters.

At least 16 people died after the cyclone crashed into coastal parts of India and southern Bangladesh in May.

'Begin to recover'

The region was hit by strong gales, torrential rain and tidal surges that left low-lying areas flooded.

Jonty Ellaby, part of ShelterBox's emergency response team in Bangladesh, said: "Shelter is a fundamental human right and is a fundamental thing people need in order to live a life.

"By providing people with four walls and a roof they are protected from everything, they can restore the family unit, they can begin to build their livelihoods and begin to recover as a family."

Emergency response manager Dave Raybould added: “Homes here are typically made from mud bricks, timber, or bamboo and people have been left with very little and without the resources to repair or replace what they had.

"Many families are living out in the open by the side of the road, and so our focus is on making sure people have what they need to build emergency shelters."