Bangladesh Floods Claim at Least Eight Lives as Concerns Grow Over Worsening Conditions
Bangladesh Floods Leave Eight Dead, Displace Millions as Fears of Worsening Conditions Grow
The death toll from the recent floods in Bangladesh has risen to eight, affecting over two million people as heavy rains have caused major rivers to burst their banks, officials confirmed. The South Asian country, home to 170 million people and intersected by hundreds of rivers, has faced increasingly frequent floods in recent decades, exacerbated by the climate crisis which has led to erratic rainfall and melting glaciers in the Himalayas.
In Shahjadur, two teenage boys drowned when their boat capsized in floodwaters, while seven others on board managed to swim to safety, according to local police chief Sabuj Rana. In Kurigram, three people were killed in two separate electrocution incidents when their boats became entangled with live electricity wires. Another three people died in separate flood-related incidents across the country earlier this week.
The government has opened hundreds of shelters for displaced residents and sent food and relief supplies to the hardest-hit districts in the northern region. Kamrul Hasan, secretary of the country’s disaster management ministry, stated that 17 out of Bangladesh’s 64 districts have been affected by the floods.
Hasan warned that the situation could worsen in the coming days, with the Brahmaputra River, one of Bangladesh’s main waterways, flowing above danger levels in some areas. In Kurigram, eight out of nine rural towns have been submerged by floodwaters. Abdul Hye, a local disaster and relief official, reported that the water levels in the Brahmaputra rose by 6 to 8 feet (2 to 2.5 meters) within three days.
Abdul Gafur, a local councillor in Kurigram, described the severe impact on the community, stating that more than 80% of homes in his area are flooded. Efforts are being made to deliver essential supplies such as rice and edible oil, but there is a pressing crisis for drinking water.
Bangladesh is currently experiencing its annual summer monsoon, which brings 70-80% of South Asia’s yearly rainfall and often leads to flooding and landslides. While the monsoon is notoriously difficult to predict and varies significantly, scientists believe that climate change is intensifying and destabilizing the monsoon patterns.
