The death toll from devastating floods in Bangladesh this week has reached eight, leaving over two million people affected. Heavy rainfall has caused major rivers to overflow their banks, leading to widespread displacement and damage across the country. The South Asian nation, with its intricate network of rivers, has witnessed a concerning increase in flood frequency in recent decades. Experts attribute this trend to climate change, which has made rainfall patterns more erratic and exacerbated the melting of glaciers in the Himalayan mountains.
The latest tragedy involved two teenage boys who lost their lives when a boat capsized in floodwaters in Shahjadur, a rural town in the north. “There were nine people in the small boat. Seven swam to safety. Two boys did not know how to swim. They drowned,” Sabuj Rana, the town’s police chief, told AFP.
In Kurigram, another northern district, three individuals died in two separate electrocution incidents. Their boats became entangled with live electricity wires submerged in the floodwater, according to police chief Bishwadeb Roy.
Additionally, three other flood-related deaths were reported from various parts of the country earlier this week.
In response to the crisis, the Bangladesh government has established hundreds of shelters for displaced individuals and deployed food and relief supplies to the hardest-hit districts in the north.
“More than two million people have been affected by the floods. Seventeen of the country’s 64 districts have been affected,” Kamrul Hasan, secretary of the country’s disaster management ministry, told AFP.
Hasan warned that the flood situation in the north could worsen in the coming days as the Brahmaputra River, one of Bangladesh’s main waterways, is flowing above danger levels in some areas.
The impact of the flooding is particularly severe in the Kurigram district, where eight out of nine rural towns are currently marooned. Abdul Hye, a local disaster and relief official, told AFP, “We live with floods here. But this year the water was very high. In three days, Brahmaputra rose by six to eight feet (2-2.5 metres).”
Abdul Gafur, a local councillor in Kurigram, echoed the severity of the situation. “Flood water has inundated more than 80 percent of homes in my area. We are trying to deliver food, especially rice and edible oil. But there is a drinking water crisis.”
Bangladesh is currently experiencing its annual summer monsoon season, which brings a significant portion of South Asia’s annual rainfall. While the monsoon is a vital source of water, it also brings regular risks of flooding and landslides, often leading to loss of life and property damage.
While rainfall patterns are notoriously difficult to predict, scientists increasingly warn that climate change is amplifying the monsoon’s intensity and making it more erratic. The consequences of these changes are evident in the devastating floods currently impacting Bangladesh and highlighting the urgent need for adaptation and mitigation measures to address the growing threat of climate change.
