Bangladesh: Floods Worsen
The floods are very bad this year. Nearly 200 have died and millions are displaced throughout the region. A predictable natural disaster that may have been mitigated with enhanced flood embankments is causing untold suffering in human costs and enormous damage to property and agriculture.
With the surrounding rivers remaining in spate, feeding on waters rolling down from upstream, the situation in and around capital Dhaka already remained grave. About 40% of the city is under water and in places the sewage system has failed, with brown and stinking water flowing through the streets. Already thousands of people are complaining of diarrhoea. As monsoon rains continue, millions of people in the city get their drinking water from tube wells and the fear is that many are becoming contaminated.
The floods have made life especially difficult for the very poorest in the city. Slums are built on low-lying ground and most have been under water for days.
Some people have moved out to find dry land, building makeshift shelters from plastic sheeting and bamboo on the pavements in areas that are on higher ground.
Flood forecasters say there is no relief in sight. The rivers in the central area of Bangladesh that includes the capital are likely to rise further in the coming days.
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