Floods in Bangladesh affect over 37 lakh people in 30 districts

While 21 districts in Bangladesh were affected by floods till Tuesday, on Thursday, the number of districts affected by floods has increased to 30. Flood situation in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Natore, Bogura, Sirajganj, Sherpur, Sylhet and Sunamganj has worsened further. 

According to the report of the Ministry of Disaster Management and  Relief, flood has affected more than 37 lakh people in 30 districts of Bangladesh including Lalmonihrhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur and Kishoreganj. The official death toll due to flood now stands at 29. 

The Flood Forecast and Warning Centre (FFWC) in its latest bulletin issued on Friday at 9 a.m. reports that out of 101 points monitored by it in the four major river basins of the country, water level showed an increase at 49 points since Thursday. Rivers were flowing above danger level at 30 points in the country. 

In the Brahmaputra basin, Jamuna and Brahmaputra were flowing above the danger level at all the monitoring points. Out of 31 points in the Brahmaputra basin, rivers were above danger level at 18 points. 

Jamuna was flowing more than 100 centimetre above the danger level at Fulchari, Bahadurabad, Sariakandi while Dhaleswari was flowing more than 100 cm above the danger mark at Elasin. 

In the Ganges basin, Padma was above danger mark at all the monitored points.

However, there was some respite in the rain. Only Barguna, Noakhali and Cox’s Bazar received over 50 mm rain in the last 24 hours since Thursday. Flood has damaged houses, roads and communication infrastructure in the affected areas forcing people to flee to safer places. 

Government has taken up relief work in the affected areas. According to the status report issued by the Ministry of of Disaster Management and Relief, 1629 relief shelters have been set up where 75,000 people and 65,000 thousand animals have been taking shelter. More than 1075 medical relief teams are operating in the affected areas. Government is also distributing relief material in the flood affected areas. 

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