Floods in Bangladesh Kill 44, Leave Over a Million Stranded

Torrential monsoon rains have unleashed devastating floods and landslides across southeastern Bangladesh, claiming at least 44 lives and leaving over a million people stranded. The relentless downpour has crippled daily life in seven affected districts, including Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, isolating thousands of families and submerging 267,918 households.

Rescue and relief operations are facing significant challenges due to widespread power outages, damaged roads, and severed communication links. Residents in inundated areas report being unable to cook for days, with floodwaters covering their homes and thick mud rendering kitchens unusable. Many are spending nights in darkness due to the lack of electricity. Thousands of families are dependent on non-perishable dry food items and emergency aid.

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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.

Aid workers are struggling to reach some of the most severely impacted communities because of washed-out roads and destroyed bridges. Army and navy personnel are actively engaged in transporting essential supplies like food, drinking water, and medicines to isolated areas via boat. Disaster Management and Relief Minister Iqbal Hossain assured that the government is providing all possible support and urged those whose homes are flooded to seek refuge in the nearest shelters.

The heavy rains also triggered deadly landslides in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, resulting in the deaths of 16 refugees, including women and children. These makeshift shelters, situated on vulnerable hillsides, are particularly susceptible during the monsoon season. Bangladesh, a nation highly prone to natural disasters, faces increasingly intense and frequent extreme rainfall events, which scientists attribute to climate change, exacerbating the scale and severity of such calamities.

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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.