Dhaka, 27 August 2024 (TDI): The death toll from devastating floods caused by relentless monsoon rain and overflowing rivers in Bangladesh has risen to 23, with nearly 1.24 million families stranded across eleven districts, officials said on Monday.
As floodwaters recede slowly, many of the 5.7 million affected people remain isolated and in urgent need of clean water, food, medicine and dry clothes, above all in remote areas where blocked roads have hindered relief and rescue efforts.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said that flood conditions could persist if the rains continued, as water levels were receding very slowly.
Nearly 470,000 people have taken refuge in 3,500 shelters in the flood-affected districts, where around 650 medical teams are on the ground to provide treatment, with the army, navy, air force, and the South Asian country’s border guard assisting in rescue and relief operations, authorities said.
Vast areas of land are submerged, posing a major threat to crops if the floodwaters linger for an extended period, agriculture ministry said.
An analysis in 2015 by the World Bank Institute estimated that 3.5 million people in the country, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, were at risk of Annual River flooding. Scientists attribute the exacerbation of such devastating events to climate change.
“Countries like Bangladesh with negligible emissions and whose citizens have shown great resilience deserve immediate funds to address the impacts of climate change and frequent calamities,” said Farah Kabir, director of ActionAid Bangladesh.
“We need to recover from the damage and losses we have faced, and build resilience to the upcoming impacts and take on green development pathways, Kabir added.
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In one of the worst-hit districts, Noakhali, 56-year-old Shukuri Begum lost her home as it was swept into a pond by the floodwaters, the ActionAid said. Terrified, she fled with her grandchildren to a neighbor’s house, but could not stay there long as it was no longer safe.
