The Coastal Hydro-Meteorological Risk Profile
Bangladesh's 710-km coastline is home to 35 million people residing across 19 coastal districts. Exposed to Category 3+ cyclones (such as Sidr, Aila, and Remal) and 1–3 meter storm surges, water and sanitation infrastructure suffers catastrophic damage during extreme weather events.
Surges submerge hand pumps with saline floodwaters, submerge pit latrines, and cause immediate waterborne disease outbreaks across entire Union Parishads.
Cyclone Storm Surges & Water Infrastructure Failure
During tropical cyclones, saline sea water overflows coastal polders, flooding surface freshwater ponds and shallow wells. Inundated latrine pits contaminate surrounding floodwaters with faecal sludge, triggering post-disaster cholera and acute watery diarrhea (AWD) outbreaks.
Furthermore, groundwater salinity in coastal districts regularly exceeds 15,000 mg/L, making traditional shallow well drilling ineffective for drinking water provision.
Disaster-Resilient Hardware Engineering Standards
AIDE designs disaster-resilient hardware specifically engineered for 50-year flood levels:
- Raised Dual-Platform Hand Pump Tubewells: Constructed on reinforced concrete pedestals elevated 1.5 meters above maximum surge levels, featuring twin upper/lower operating handles.
- Solar-Powered Rainwater & Pond Sand Filters: Solar-driven pumping systems producing 10,000 L/day of pure water from elevated protected ponds during grid outages.
Solar-Powered Filtration & Off-Grid Energy Systems
Power grid failures during cyclones leave conventional electric water pumps useless. AIDE integrates solar photovoltaic arrays (1.5 kWp – 5 kWp) with battery storage to power surface water filtration systems continuously.
Solar systems operate independently of grid electricity, serving as emergency water hubs for entire disaster shelter complexes.
72-Hour Anticipatory Action & Pre-Crisis Protocols
Waiting until after a cyclone strikes increases relief costs tenfold. AIDE implements Anticipatory Action protocols triggered 72 hours prior to cyclone landfall upon BMD weather warning signals.
Pre-positioned water purification tablets, mobile RO trailers, and dignity kits are deployed rapidly across coastal cyclone shelters under our Cyclone 2025 Anticipatory Action Program with UNICEF & DPHE.
