Dhaka: Floods in Bangladesh have claimed 71 lives as of Tuesday, with millions still stranded in affected regions. Concerns are mounting over waterborne disease outbreaks as floodwaters slowly recede.
Monsoon rains and water from upstream rivers caused the floods, which have ravaged the country for the past two weeks. Around five million people remain affected, and over 580,000 families are trapped in 11 flooded districts. These families urgently need food, clean water, medicine, and clothing. The army, navy, air force, and border guards have been working together to provide relief.
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Officials are now focusing on preventing diseases that typically spread after floods. In the last 24 hours, healthcare workers have admitted nearly 5,000 people to hospitals for diarrhoea, skin infections, and snake bites. Nearly 500 medical teams are currently treating those affected.
Heavy rain in Dhaka on Tuesday worsened the situation, flooding roads and causing major traffic jams as vehicles struggled through knee-to-waist-deep water.
The floods have also devastated Bangladesh’s agricultural sector. According to the agriculture ministry, the floods destroyed crops worth 33.5 billion taka ($282 million), leaving over 1.4 million farmers affected.
The World Bank Institute estimated in 2015 that 3.5 million people in Bangladesh faced the risk of annual river flooding, a threat that has worsened due to climate change.
2 Million Kids at Risk, UNICEF Warns
UNICEF has warned that two million children are at risk in what they describe as Bangladesh’s worst flooding in 30 years. The organization has launched a $35 million appeal to deliver essential supplies to families in need. “Year after year, floods, heatwaves, and cyclones disrupt millions of children’s lives in Bangladesh. Climate change is reshaping their future,” said Emma Brigham, Deputy Representative of UNICEF Bangladesh.
As the floodwaters slowly recede, recovery efforts are ramping up, but the path to normalcy is still fraught with challenges. Communities are working together to rebuild their lives, but the scale of the disaster requires significant support from both national and international aid.
The focus remains on delivering immediate relief while planning for long-term recovery to address the damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and public health. With climate change increasing the frequency and severity of such disasters, it’s crucial for Bangladesh and the global community to invest in resilience measures to better protect vulnerable populations in the future.