Along the coast between the Bay of Bengal and southern Bangladesh lies the Sundarbans, a vast stretch of woodland and wildlife covering more than 6,200 square miles of land and sea. Home to the world’s largest mangrove forests, the region is also a hotspot for extreme weather. In 2007, Cyclone Sidr struck the entire southern coast, killing more than 3,000 people, according to Bangladesh officials. It was followed by Cyclone Aila, in 2009, which environmentalists say submerged the Sundarbans region in more than 20 feet of water.
