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🇸🇬 Singapore /Disasters & Emergencies

Floods in Bangladesh kill 44, leave over a million stranded

From The Straits Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • At least 44 people have died and over a million are stranded due to floods and landslides in southeastern Bangladesh following heavy monsoon rains.
  • Power outages, damaged infrastructure, and submerged homes have hampered relief efforts, leaving many residents without food or electricity.
  • The disaster management ministry is distributing aid, while army and navy personnel are using boats to reach isolated communities.

Torrential monsoon rains have devastated southeastern Bangladesh, causing floods and landslides that have killed at least 44 people and left over a million stranded. The disaster management ministry reported on Saturday that seven districts are affected, disrupting daily life and isolating thousands of families. Power outages, damaged roads, and broken communication links are significantly slowing down rescue and relief operations.

Residents in flood-hit areas describe dire conditions, with homes submerged and no means to cook. Nurul Islam, a resident of Chattogram, shared, "There is still water inside our home and we have no way to cook. The dry food we had has run out, and we spend the nights in the dark with our children because there is no electricity." Thousands of families are relying on dry, uncooked food and emergency relief supplies, but reaching them is difficult due to washed-out roads and damaged bridges.

There is still water inside our home and we have no way to cook. The dry food we had has run out, and we spend the nights in the dark with our children because there is no electricity.

— Nurul IslamA resident of a flood-hit area in Chattogram describes the living conditions.

Army and navy personnel are actively involved, ferrying essential supplies like food, drinking water, and medicines by boat to isolated communities. Disaster Management and Relief Minister Iqbal Hossain stated that the government is providing all possible support and urged those whose homes are inundated to move to shelters. The heavy rains also caused landslides in Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, resulting in 16 deaths, including women and children among the more than one million refugees living there.

Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, with monsoon rains frequently triggering floods, erosion, and landslides. Scientists increasingly link climate change to more frequent and intense extreme rainfall events, exacerbating the scale and severity of such disasters in the region.

The government is doing everything possible to support flood victims. Relief, safe drinking water and medical supplies are being distributed, and we urge people whose homes have been inundated to move to the nearest shelter.

— Iqbal HossainDisaster Management and Relief Minister Iqbal Hossain speaks during a visit to affected areas.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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