Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has immediately responded to the recent big fire at Myanmar refugee camps in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh.

In cooperation with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS), QRCS’s representation mission in Bangladesh distributed emergency aid to 126 families, or 630 persons, affected by the disaster.

These distributions included one-month food parcels, hygiene kits, kitchenware, and other items. Currently, the mission is preparing to distribute 5,000 food parcels to 1,000 families, in partnership with the Turkish Red Crescent.

The fire damaged shelters, public facilities, and infrastructure, leaving thousands of lives at risk. It started at Block D of Camp W8, and due to the strong wind, it quickly spread to Camps E8, W8, W9, and W10.

A large number of shelters and shops were destroyed, let alone health, community, education, services, and aid centers.

As a result of the fire, there have been reported 11 deaths, 563 injuries, 9,508 damaged shelters, and 45,122 affected population. A total of 3,800 families were evacuated to other camps.

There are around 1,500 Red Crescent personnel and community health volunteers deployed to assist the victims, fix tents, and distribute food and nonfood items.

Even though partially damaged by the fire, the health center operated by QRCS at Camp E8 has served over 40 patients and injured persons.

An emergency intervention plan is in progress, with the following activities:

1. Building 75 medium-term shelters as Phase 1 (pending the selection of location).

2. Building 200 medium-term shelters as Phase 2.

3. Distributing 2,000 packs of nonfood items.

4. Distributing 2,500 parcels of dried and fresh food items (in cooperation with the Turkish Red Crescent).

5. Continuing to operate and support BDRCS’s health centers with medications and first aid supplies (in cooperation with the Turkish, Swiss, Japanese, and Canadian National Societies).