Heavy rains and flash floods in Bangladesh leave at least 51 dead, 39 injured

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - DHAKA — At least 51 people were killed and 39 others injured in floods and landslides in Bangladesh, local media reported on Sunday.

Thousands have lost their homes as flash floods and landslides hit large parts of the country, including the capital Dhaka.

More than half the deaths so far have occurred in Cox's Bazar, home to a large Rohingya refugee population. Last week several students and a teacher were killed in that district when floodwaters swept through their school.

More than a million people have been affected by the floods, while members of 267,918 families remain marooned, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. As many as 44,457 people have taken refuge in shelter centers as relief operations continue in the flood-affected areas.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday ordered all relevant agencies and field-level administration to remain on maximum alert and work in coordination to protect lives and property impacted by waterlogging caused by heavy rainfall, and ensure prompt relief distribution and healthcare services.

He issued the orders during a virtual meeting with senior officials, the United News of Bangladesh (UNB) reported.

During the meeting, officials briefed Rahman about the waterlogging situation in their respective areas, including the extent of damage, the condition of shelter centres, rescue operations, relief distribution and healthcare services.

He said protecting the lives and property of people must remain the highest priority of the administration during the ongoing emergency. He ordered officials to ensure the quick distribution of relief materials, including dry food, safe drinking water, baby food, essential medicines and healthcare services to impacted people, according to the UNB report.

Rahman ordered law enforcement agencies to remain on the highest alert to stop any criminal activities, including theft, hoarding, misappropriation of relief goods and other offences taking advantage of the ongoing emergency situation.

Bangladesh is a low-lying country that has many rivers, and often sees heavy rain and floods during its annual monsoon season. But experts warn that climate change has made rainfall more intense and more frequent.

The heavy rain began more than a week ago and as it intensified in recent days, authorities issued warnings about floods and landslides, evacuated families in high risk areas, and postponed student exams.

Twenty-eight out of the 51 deaths reported so far have been in Cox's Bazar. The district is home to more than a million Rohingya who make up the world's largest refugee settlement.

In Dhaka, traffic has slowed in the capital as residents report of flooded streets, with the water rising up to knee level in some areas, according to BBC Bangla.

Some local media outlets on Monday questioned previous government efforts to fix the drainage systems in Dhaka.

Sarder Udoy Raihan of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre told the AFP news agency that the situation in the southeast of the country was likely to improve soon.

But with the monsoon continuing to affect the northeastern and northern parts of Bangladesh, "there is a possibility of further inundation", he warned.