Cyclone Sidr, the category-4 storm that swept through Bangladesh on Nov. 15, killed more than 3,000 people. And while officials say the death toll could eventually reach 10,000, many are thankful that it wasn't higher. Sidr took far fewer lives than some previous Bangladeshi storms: 1991's Cyclone Gorky killed approximately 140,000 people. Cyclone Bhola, in 1970, left as many asĀ 500,000 people dead and is the deadliest cyclone on record.
Bangladesh has gotten better at dealing with severe weather. Over the past decade, the country's early-warning and preparedness systems have improved considerably. Under Fakhruddin Ahmed, effectively the country's Prime Minister, officials evacuated...