4.9 Mln People Affected in Bangladesh Floods

Severe floods in Bangladesh, triggered by heavy monsoon rains and unusual tidal surges, have affected nearly 4.9 million people, leaving 18 dead, according to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The floods have caused five major rivers to overflow, resulting in widespread devastation across the country.

The report highlights that 11 districts across Bangladesh have been inundated, impacting around one million households.

Among the affected are 1.54 million children and adolescents aged between 5 and 19, 400,000 infants under the age of four, and 66,447 pregnant or breastfeeding women.

The damage to flood control embankments in the Feni district has exacerbated the situation, leading to extensive flooding in various areas and sub-districts.

The lack of early warning systems and forecasts has left many communities unprepared for the disaster.

The floods have also damaged railway lines and cut off road access to several regions, isolating communities and hindering relief and disaster management efforts.