Cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh - formerly a part of India, and formerly known as East Pakistan - last year. It was considered the worst storm to hit that part of the world in over a decade. The death toll was in the thousands.



Hurricane Katrina killed somewhere around 2800, and the September 11th attacks killed somewhere around 1800.



This past weekend, Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar (formerly Burma). Nargis is already considered one of the deadliest storms recorded. Initial reports stated a death toll of only 351. Only a few days later, over 22,500 fatalities have been reported so far, and over 41,000 are reported missing. Entire towns and cities are cut-off from rescuers and communications. A US Diplomat recently predicted a death toll approaching 100,000.



In 2000, the Census reported just over 40,000 people living in York, PA. Think about that level of destruction.



Trees older than most Americans can imagine have been ripped from the ground and thrown across roads and on top of homes. Some trees are over 15-feet in diameter and are still blocking access roads for humanitarian relief agencies.



UNICEF is accepting donations to support their efforts in the region. eBay has set up a donation program (go to the eBay homepage and the link will be below the search bar).



Stay updated. Stay informed. Stay involved. Please do what you can to help. There is already an ongoing international food crisis with riots for food killing dozens in Egypt and Somalia, among many other nations. This cyclone, having destroyed entire farming communities and uprooted families into areas already too densely populated to handle the basic needs of its residents, will have a long-lasting impact. If you can't donate or help today, think about it tomorrow. Think about it next week. Next year. Relief efforts for Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh are still going on, as are rebuilding efforts in New Orleans after Katrina. Volunteer with local agencies to help organize and ship supplies. Tell your friends.