Widespread floods in Bangladesh leave over 2 million people stranded

Heavy monsoon rains affecting Bangladesh since Wednesday, June 19, 2024, have left over 2 million people stranded and at least 10 dead. Bangladesh Meteorological Department predicts continued heavy rains which could potentially worsen the situation.

Northeastern Bangladesh experienced severe flooding this week due to heavy monsoon rains and upstream river water from India, leaving over 2 million people stranded, according to officials. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that more than 772 000 children are in urgent need of assistance in the affected regions.

The northeastern region, particularly the Sylhet division, has been severely affected by heavy rainfall and upstream water, with significant infrastructure damage. Over 810 government schools are flooded, nearly 500 of which are being used as flood shelters. Additionally, almost 140 community clinics are submerged, disrupting essential healthcare services.

UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh, Sheldon Yett, warned about the increased risks for children, including drowning, malnutrition, waterborne diseases, displacement trauma, and potential abuse in overcrowded shelters.

The Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, housing over 1 million people, have also been severely affected. Mohammed Kamal, a Rohingya refugee, described the situation as terrible, with narrow, slippery paths becoming hazardous.

On June 19, the flooding claimed 10 lives, including eight Rohingya Muslims, who were killed by landslides in refugee camps in southern Bangladesh.

Floods and rising sea levels in Bangladesh have left refugees facing an increasingly uncertain future. With homes inundated, lands eroded, and crops destroyed, experts say there’s an urgent need for sustainable solutions to mitigate these impacts and protect vulnerable… pic.twitter.com/0bFWRkAlV7

— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) June 21, 2024

Brutal floods have left over 2 million people in northeastern Bangladesh in dire need, including over 772,000 children.

They need urgent help.

Together with the government & partners, @UNICEF is delivering emergency lifesaving supplies including safe water to the ones affected. pic.twitter.com/rOJpPDeRyA

— UNICEF Bangladesh (@UNICEFBD) June 21, 2024

In pictures: Days of torrential rains trigger floods in Sylhet, eastern Bangladesh, damaging property & crops, bringing life to standstill pic.twitter.com/eknMhHMZZY

— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) June 21, 2024

The Water Development Board (WDB) issued warnings about rising water levels in major rivers on June 21, with the Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers likely reaching danger levels within 72 hours. Similarly, the Dudhkumar, Teesta, and Dharala rivers in northern Bangladesh may cause short-term floods in the Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, and Nilphamari districts.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has forecasted further heavy rainfall, which could worsen the flooding and trigger landslides in hilly areas.

References:

¹ Floods ravage parts of Bangladesh, strand over 2 million people – Reuters – June 21, 2024

² Flood situation to improve in Sylhet, Sunamganj, and Netrokona; worsen in Rangpur – bdnews24 – June 21, 2024

³ Landslides kill 10 in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh – Reuters -June 19,2024