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As floodwaters recede slowly, many people remain stranded and in
urgent need of food, clean water, medicine and dry clothes,
especially in remote areas where blocked roads have hindered
rescue and relief efforts.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said that flood
conditions could persist if the monsoon rains continued, as
water levels were receding very slowly.
Around 470,000 people have taken refuge in 3,300 shelters across
11 flood-hit districts, where around 600 medical teams are
helping provide treatment, with the army, air force, navy, and
the border guard assisting in rescue operations, authorities
said.
A disaster management ministry official warned that as
floodwaters recede, there is a risk of an epidemic, adding that
the outbreak of waterborne diseases is likely if clean water is
not provided soon.
"Our top priority is to ensure the availability of safe drinking
water," the official said.
In the past 24 hours, around 3,000 people have been hospitalized
due to waterborne diseases in flood-hit areas, according to the
Directorate General of Health Services. Many areas remained
submerged, preventing stranded people from accessing healthcare
facilities.
"Water is everywhere but there is no clean water to drink.
People are getting sick," said Farid Ahmed, a resident of one of
the worst-hit districts, Lakshmipur.
Vast areas of land are submerged, posing a significant threat to
crops, agriculture ministry officials said.
The U.N. children's agency has warned that two million children
were at risk as the worst floods in three decades sweep through
eastern Bangladesh. The organization is urgently appealing for
$35 million to provide life-saving supplies.
"The devastating floods in eastern Bangladesh are a tragic
reminder of the relentless impact of extreme weather events and
the climate crisis on children," said Emma Brigham, Deputy
Representative of UNICEF Bangladesh.
An analysis in 2015 by the World Bank Institute estimated that
3.5 million people in Bangladesh, one of the world's most
climate-vulnerable countries, were at risk of annual river
flooding. Scientists attribute the exacerbation of such
catastrophic events to climate change.
Farah Kabir, director of ActionAid Bangladesh, said that
countries like Bangladesh, which contribute minimally to global
emissions, urgently need funding to recover from climate-related
losses and build resilience for future impacts while pursuing
green development pathways.
(Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
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