3.6m people affected in Bangladesh as flash flood worsens

Thousands of people awaiting emergency rescue remained beyond electricity and mobile network coverage as a flash flood unleashed by heavy rains and an onrush of water from upstream in India tore through Bangladesh’s eastern, southeastern, and northeastern districts, reported New Age, a leading English language newspaper published from Dhaka.

The disaster management and relief ministry confirmed two deaths in the flood, saying that it also affected over 3.6 million people and left nearly six lakh people stranded in 10 districts.

Dubbed unprecedented by locals and government emergency responders, the fierce flood engulfed localities that had not witnessed such a natural hazard in decades and were not ready at all to tackle the sudden onslaught of such a massive volume of water.

The scale of the flood is reflected in its immediate consequences, such as bending steel rail tracks, suspending train communications with Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, disrupting road communication on the Dhaka-Chattogram and Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highways, submerging a vast landscape, washing away thousands of fish and poultry farms, and temporarily displacing over 82,000 people.

Some of the affected areas had to suspend activities at government offices, including health facilities and a land port, because the flood water rushed downstream with a massive current, driven by water coming with huge force down the slope of the world’s largest mountain range.

Hundreds of people are reported to have been confined to rooftops, along with their livestock animals, and are living under the open sky amidst incessant rains as flood water flowed over the height of a one-storey building in many places, particularly over 350sq km area covering Parshuram, Phulgazi, and Chhagalnaiya upazilas in Feni.

Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway was slowed down and frequently disrupted due to floodwater overflowing the highway at Feni.

Nearly six lakh people remained out of electricity supply in the affected areas, particularly in Feni, Cumilla, and Chandpur, confirmed officials of the Power Development Board and Rural Electrification Board.

Complete darkness descended in many of the affected areas after nightfall, increasing manifold the fear of the people in danger, as rescue teams from the army, navy, air force, BGB, fire service, and locals faced a mountain of obstacles to reach them.

People feared that the losses would double if the rain continued for two more days, which is very likely, for the Bangladesh Meteorological Department issued a fresh heavy rain warning for 48 hours at 9:30am on Thursday.

The heavy rain warning is effective for Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. The warning also alerted authorities about potential hill slides in the Chattogram division.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department data showed between 300mm and 500mm of rainfall since August 17 in Feni, Noakhali, Lakkshmipur, Cumilla, Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Bandarban, and Rangamati, all floods affected except the last two.