Flash floods in Bangladesh have badly hit 11 districts in the eastern part of the country, affecting about 5.8 million people, a UN report released by the office in Dhaka said on Friday. Heavy rainfall and upstream water flows from India have caused widespread devastation.
The NDRCC added that over a million people have been stranded in communities isolated by the floodwaters. As of the latest count, some 502,501 people had been displaced and were taking temporary shelter in 3,403 evacuation centers.
The worst-hit districts are Noakhali, Comilla, Laxmipur, Feni, Chittagong, and Moulvibazar due to the fact that water-logging of rural roads has inundated farmlands and fishponds. People cannot access the places that are essentially necessary for them and earn their livelihood. In total, an area of 339,382 hectares of cropland has been damaged.
Education has been severely affected, with more than 7,000 schools closed, thereby affecting 1,750,000 primary students across the flooded areas. Congestion in temporary shelters is one very valid protection concern, especially for women and girls.
Flooding has also damaged WASH facilities, raising the risk of water-borne diseases. The submergence of rural roads and power outage makes access difficult for the local authorities and responders, while more than 50% of the areas in Noakhali remain unreachable.
In response to the crisis, the UN and humanitarian partners mobilized targeted emergency activities in close coordination with and support to Government-led flood response, complementing the efforts of the local and civil society. The Start Fund allocated £ 428,755 to support affected districts. Other partners mobilized additional emergency funds.
On July 14, the humanitarian community in Bangladesh launched its first-ever multi-hazard humanitarian response plan for cyclones and monsoon floods, aiming to reach 1.2 million people. The HRP is seeking $79.8 million in funding; to date, it has only raised $15.6 million and reached approximately 700,000 people with assistance.