ACT members in
Bangladesh have reported that the flood situation has worsened further
in the western and south-western frontier districts bordering the
Indian state of West Bengal as new areas become submerged not only
by onrushing upland water, but also due to back pressure of water
in the Bay of Bengal caused by the low pressure that crossed the Barisal/Noakhali
coast (south).
According to media
reports, the situation has seriously deteriorated in two south western
districts with up-stream waters continuing to rush down despite the
fall in water levels of all the major rivers during the last 24 hours.
Adjoining areas of Benapole land port have gone under 4 to 5 feet
water cutting off direct road communication between Dhaka and Calcutta
and suspending export import between Bangladesh and India through
the major land port. Roads and embankments in these districts are
being washed away by flood waters that are causing colossal loss to
crops, dwellings and other properties. The deluge has affected nearly
3 million people in eight districts many of whom are in dire need
of food, clothing, temporary shelter and emergency medical support.
There will be a special need to rehabilitate the agriculture of the
area so that the people can re-plant winter crops as soon as flood
waters recede. In Rajshahi the health situation has worsened with
about 2,500 coming down with diarrhoea.
Disaster Management
officials said local administration in the affected districts are
running 571 shelters, providing emergency food and medicine to 659,206
persons. Some 461 medical teams are working round the clock to combat
waterborne and other diseases in those areas. The Army is using helicopters
to evacuate the flood victims from remote areas and airdrop food,
medicine and clothes and in Dhaka (the capital city) the Disaster
Management Bureau has opened an Emergency Control Room as a part of
the Government program to combat the flood.
ACT members Rangpur
Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS), Christian Commission for Development
in Bangladesh (CCDB) and Church of Bangladesh have been
providing assistance from their emergency stocks to the affected people
in several.
All 5 ACT members
in Bangladesh are in the process of finalising an appeal for flood
assistance in the in the western and south-western districts. Coordination
meetings are being held among the members which is expected to result
in a coordinated, cohesive and coherent ACT response.
