Concern Worldwide responding to unprecedented deadly floods in Bangladesh

Concern Worldwide is responding to deadly floods in Bangladesh in which at least 18 people have been killed and millions of others stranded.

Concern is distributing food and non-food items such as tarpaulin, oral rehydration solution, water purification tablets, sanitary pads, candles and matches among other essentials to approximately 35,000 people in Nohakhali district, one of the worst-affected districts.

“Bangladesh is experienced in dealing with heavy rains during monsoon season, but these rains are unlike what many people have seen in decades. Climate change is shifting weather patterns and increasing the number of extreme weather events,” said Manish Kumar Agrawal, country director for Concern in Bangladesh.

“These floods are the fourth consecutive natural disaster in the last four months in Bangladesh which makes the situation very complex. Cyclone Remal in May, the Northeastern floods in June, Northern floods in July and now the flash floods in eastern Bangladesh. It’s estimated that over 20 million people across 40% of Bangladesh have been affected due to these disasters. Urgent humanitarian support is needed in flood-affected districts to save lives.”

The severe flooding has been caused by relentless heavy monsoon rains and overflowing rivers, submerging vast areas of Bangladesh, damaging homes and infrastructure.

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken refuge in around 3,500 emergency shelters.  Search and rescue support, food, essential medicines, safe drinking water, hygiene materials, and non-food items, along with cash are among the key immediate needs.

Highways and train lines are damaged between the capital city Dhaka and the main port city of Chittagong, further hampering access to flooded affected areas. Communications have also been disrupted in hilly regions due to landslides and there has been no electricity in most of the affected areas for the last four days.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has warned that flood conditions could persist if the monsoon rains continue, as water levels are slow to recede.

The flooding comes just weeks after a student-led protest movement toppled Bangladesh’s long-serving government. The interim government, led by Noble laureate Muhammed Yunus, is just two weeks old.

Concern is working with local partner Sajida Foundation in Nohakhali to reach communities.

Concern, as part of the wider emergency response coordination in Bangladesh, is continuing to assess the unmet needs of affected people. Due to the large scale of the floods, there has been a major loss of livelihoods and the possibility of water and vector-borne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea.

Concern is planning to ramp up its response in the coming days and weeks as the flood water gradually recedes, to provide people affected with food and nutrition support, repair damaged homes, reduce the risk of water and vector-borne diseases and help people restart their livelihoods.

Concern has been in Bangladesh since 1972 working on emergency response, climate and environment, livelihoods, health and nutrition and with Rohingya refugees.