The death toll from floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Bangladesh over the past week has risen to at least 44, with more than 1 million people stranded.
According to Reuters on July 12 (local time), the Bangladeshi Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief reported that approximately 267,000 households have been cut off due to flooding, primarily in the southeastern Chattogram (formerly Chittagong) division.
Since July 6, two landslides have occurred at a Rohingya refugee camp in the Cox's Bazar region of Chattogram following heavy rains, resulting in the deaths of 16 refugees, including children.
Casualties have been reported in various areas, including an incident on July 10 in the mountainous Banshkhali region of Chattogram, where two children, aged 7 and 3, were swept away by floodwaters in their yard and died.
Authorities stated that rescue and relief operations are being delayed as roads and communication lines have been severed and power supplies cut off in many areas due to the flooding.
Many residents are unable to cook as their homes are submerged, forcing them to rely on dry relief rations such as biscuits that do not require preparation. However, relief workers are struggling to reach the affected areas because roads and bridges have been destroyed.
The Bangladeshi government has deployed army and navy personnel to strengthen relief efforts, using boats to transport essential supplies such as food, drinking water, and medicine to the isolated regions.
"The government is taking all possible measures to support flood victims," said Minister of Disaster Management and Relief Md. Iqbal Hossain. "We are distributing relief goods, safe drinking water, and medical supplies, and we urge those whose homes are flooded to move to the nearest shelters."
Bangladesh is considered one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world due to poor safety infrastructure, and floods and landslides frequently occur during the monsoon season.
Scientists believe that climate change is making extreme rainfall more frequent and intense, increasing the scale and severity of such disasters.
(Photo: Yonhap News)