As floods recede in Bangladesh, fears of water-borne diseases grow

DHAKA, Bangladesh – Authorities in Bangladesh are bracing for the spread of waterborne diseases and scrambling to provide people with drinking water after devastating floods killed at least 54 people and stranded millions last week.

While floodwaters are slowly receding, many people remain stranded and urgently need food, clean water, medicine and dry clothes, especially in remote areas where blocked roads are hampering rescue and relief efforts.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said that if monsoon rains continue, flooding could continue as water levels are receding very slowly.

Around 470,000 people have sought refuge in 3,300 emergency shelters in eleven flooded districts. Around 600 medical teams are helping to treat people there. The army, air force, navy and border guards are supporting the rescue efforts, the authorities said.

A disaster management official warned that there was a risk of an epidemic as the floodwaters receded, adding that an outbreak of water-borne diseases was likely if clean water was not provided soon.

“Our top priority is to ensure the availability of clean drinking water,” the official said.

FILE – People wade through floodwaters during severe floods in Fazilpur area in Feni, Bangladesh, August 26, 2024.

According to the General Directorate of Health Services, around 3,000 people have been hospitalized for water-borne diseases in the flood-affected areas in the last 24 hours. Many areas remain under water, leaving stranded people unable to reach medical facilities.

“There is water everywhere, but no clean drinking water. People are getting sick,” says Farid Ahmed, a resident of Lakshmipur, one of the worst-affected districts.

Huge areas of land are under water, posing a significant threat to crops, Agriculture Ministry officials said.

FILE – A man with his belongings wades through floodwaters in Feni, Bangladesh, August 23, 2024.

The United Nations Children's Fund is warning that two million children are at risk as eastern Bangladesh faces its worst floods in three decades. The organization is urgently appealing for $35 million to provide life-saving relief supplies.

“The devastating floods in eastern Bangladesh are a tragic reminder of the relentless impact of extreme weather events and the climate crisis on children,” said Emma Brigham, UNICEF Bangladesh Deputy Representative.

A 2015 analysis by the World Bank Institute estimated that 3.5 million people in Bangladesh, one of the world's most vulnerable countries to climate change, are at risk of annual river floods. Scientists attribute the worsening of such disasters to climate change.

Farah Kabir, Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, said countries like Bangladesh, which contribute minimally to global emissions, urgently need finance to recover from climate-related damage, build resilience to future impacts while pursuing green development pathways.

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  Reuters

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