Floods continue to wreak havoc

Authorities struggled to get drinking water and dry food to shelters as floods continued to wreak havoc across the vast northern and northeastern regions of the country.

Up to 150,000 people have been evacuated in the worst-affected Sunamganj and Sylhet districts, with over four million people still stranded there.

The floods are also threatening to disrupt agriculture, infrastructure, and clean water supplies in affected areas.

“We are making frantic efforts to ensure there is food and drinking water for all the affected people,” said Atiqul Haque, director general of the Department of Disaster Management.

Large swathes of farm villages were submerged. Rescue teams used boats to supply drinking water, medicine, and food to people perched on higher ground or in government buildings.

“Many people are in dire need of food and drinking water,” said Enam Ahmed, 45, a resident in the worst-hit Sunmaganj district, reports Reuters.

“There is water everywhere but no drinking water. Flood shelters were crammed with people, but they were not getting enough food,” he said.

International aid organisations working in Bangladesh said the situation was extremely grim and the scale of the impact was becoming apparent as communications were being restored.

“Shelters are overwhelmed as many schools and other shelters where people would normally take refuge were inundated with water as well,” said Hossain Adib, acting country director for WaterAid, Bangladesh.

Death toll from flood rises to 42

As of Wednesday, at least 42 people have been killed in 27 flood-affected districts in the last five weeks, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Of the casualties, six deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

In addition, 3,403 people, including 469 in the last 24 hours were affected by various diseases such as vision impairment, diarrhoea, skin diseases, or sustained snake bites during this period.

Among the deceased, 21 were from Sylhet, 18 from Mymensingh and three from the Rangpur division.

The DGHS also said Sylhet district has reported a maximum of 13 deaths, while Sunamganj, Netrokona, Jamalpur, and Mymensingh reported five deaths each.

Out of 42 deceased, 12 died from lightning, one died from snake bite and 23 died from drowning.

Aid efforts intensify

Authorities in Bangladesh intensified efforts on Wednesday to deliver food and drinking water to millions of people struggling after heavy rain unleashed catastrophic flooding across a quarter of the country.

Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, Sylhet division’s chief administrator, said, 365 medical teams were trying to reach flood-affected areas to provide tablets to purify water for drinking.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government was working hard to rescue people trapped in the floods and provide relief.

“We deployed different agencies, including the army, navy and air force to rescue people. In some areas, we have ensured that people are airlifted,” she said, adding that waters may recede soon but the southern part of Bangladesh was likely to be swamped, too.

The government on Wednesday allocated 1,800 tons of rice, Tk 1.5 crore and 24,000 packets of dry and other food items for the people of flood-hit areas of the country.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief allocated funds to provide humanitarian aid to those affected by floods and other natural disasters, according to a ministry press release.

Heavy rainfall is less likely

The overall flood situation improved in some parts of Sylhet and Sunamganj as water started receding, while it worsened in the country’s central part.

However, with less rainfall in the forecast, experts predict that flood damage in the central region won’t be as severe.

However, at the end of the month, there is a risk of further rainfall, which could lead to more flooding.

Official sources said the water levels of the major rivers were swelling and flowing downstream, posing a threat to other districts.

According to the Flood forecasting and warning Centre (FFWC) report, the Brahmaputra river is in a steady-state, while the Jamuna and the Ganges-Padama rivers are in a rising trend.

All the major rivers in the north-eastern region of the country are in a falling trend, except the Kushiyara and Titas.

The FFWC report also said heavy to very heavy rainfall inside Bangladesh and different upstream Indian regions is less likely.

The Brahmaputa-Jamuna and all the major rivers of the north-eastern region of the country (except the Teesta) may fall, while the Ganges-Padma river may rise in the next 24 hours.

The flood situation in the Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, and Netrokona districts may improve, while in the Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria districts it may slightly deteriorate in the next 24 hours.

In this period, the water level of the Teesta river may fall, while the Dharla and the Dudkumar rivers may remain steady.

The flood situation in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra, and Jamalpur may remain steady, while in Sirajganj and Tangail it may deteriorate slightly.

There is a chance of a short-term flood in the low-lying areas of the Shari