Islamic Relief is launching an emergency response to deadly floods across Bangladesh, with the crisis expected to worsen in the coming days.
Several days of torrential monsoon rains have caused landslides and flooding that have so far killed at least 51 people and affected millions. Islamic Relief aid workers are using boats to reach some of the worst hit communities and they report that in some areas 80% of land is now under water. Homes have been washed away and vital infrastructure such as roads and bridges are badly damaged. More than half of the people killed so far are in Cox’s Bazar, where more than 1 million Rohingya people are sheltering in the world’s biggest refugee camps.
The rains are forecast to intensify further over the next few days, with several major rivers already at dangerously high levels and at risk of bursting.
Islamic Relief emergency project officer Tahsin Aziz is in Chattogram district in southeast Bangladesh, which is one of the worst affected areas. He says:
“Much of Bangladesh has been struck by these heavy floods and this region is one of the worst affected. People are using boats where previously there were roads. The town of Satkania Sadar is completely inundated, with roads impassable and homes flooded. We’ve been on boats all day, trying to reach people in need.
“The most devastated areas are those on hillsides where the rain has washed the land and structures away. This is a poor coastal area and people here are mainly day labourers and fishermen who were already struggling before the floods. The Bangladeshi army is bringing stranded people supplies by boat, but much more aid is needed and Islamic Relief is planning to scale up our emergency response.”
Crops, livestock and fisheries that millions of people depend on for their livelihoods have also been destroyed, which is likely to lead to immediate and long-term food shortages.
Islamic Relief is preparing emergency aid for the worst affected areas, including hygiene and dignity kits to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases, and support for people to access food, clean water and other essentials.
