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Severe flooding began in Bangladesh and India on Aug. 21, marooning hundreds of thousands and affecting almost six million people. While water is an ever-present part of life in both countries, there have been four significant floods this year, wreaking havoc on many communities.
CNN said, “Bangladesh lives on its rivers and waterways — its people relying on the vital life source for fishing and farming rice paddies. The country is also well-acquainted with flooding and cyclones — especially in recent years, as scientists say human-caused climate change exacerbates extreme weather events.”
In Bangladesh, 11 districts are affected, along with Tripura state in India.
While the floods affected both countries, the more severe impact was in Bangladesh, which lies lower than the mountainous region of India. This geography plays a critical role in the amount of water that affects the two countries annually.
How soon the flood waters will fully recede will depend on the amount of rain in the coming days. According to a 2021 study, global heating is making the South Asian monsoon season more intense and erratic.
(Photo: Two men guide a cart carrying two women and a child through neck-deep water in Fulgazi, Feni, Bangladesh. Copyright: BRAC/Mozammel Haque)
Monsoon season 2024
The Center for Science Education says, “A monsoon is not a storm like a hurricane or a summer thunderstorm, but a much larger pattern of winds and rain that spans a large geographic area like a continent, or even the entire globe.”
The annual summer monsoon season typically begins in southeastern Bangladesh in early June and ends by Oct. 17, depending upon the location in the country. In India, it typically starts in southern India around May 19-21 and ends on Sept. 30.
However, this year, the monsoon season began on May 21 in southern India. Severe Cyclonic Storm Remal made landfall in Bangladesh on May 26, bringing flooding to both countries. Heavy rains continued throughout June and July, with flooding conditions present around June 16, late June to early July and again on July 18.
Key facts
- Response and recovery in Bangladesh are complicated by political instability and reported widespread corruption, the devastating impacts of climate change, and high unemployment rates, especially among youth.
- Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, resigned and fled to India in early August after violent anti-government protests that left at least 300 people dead and thousands more injured. Economist and Noble Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and several advisors were sworn in as Bangladesh’s interim government.
- The number of deaths is constantly changing as new areas become accessible or communication is restored. As of Aug. 27, at least 20 people have been killed in Bangladesh and 26 in India. As flood waters recede, there are fears that this number will increase.
- Close to 500,000 people are displaced, with most staying in evacuee relief camps. About 64,000 people in the Tripura region of India are staying in 300 relief camps, and 470,000 people in Bangladesh are staying in one of the almost 4,000 relief camps.
- One of the hardest-hit communities is Cox’s Bazar, home to nearly one million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, including 800,000 people living in the largest and densest refugee camp in the world, Kutupalong. This is an extremely vulnerable population, even without a climate disaster.
- A study by the World Bank said that annual river flooding affects about 3.5 million people in Bangladesh, which is considered “one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries.”
- The overall issue is not only the total amount of rain that has fallen but the timeframe and intensity during which it falls. At the halfway point in August, India was only 6% above average rainfall (23.1 inches versus 21.8 inches). However, Delhi has now set the record for the most rainfall days (measured at 0.09 of an inch or more of rain) in August since 2012. It is also the wettest August since 2014, with 11.5 inches recorded. Some areas received 4-7 inches in 24 hours when the latest floods started.
- Videos from prior flooding in Pakistan and AI-generated images are being shared on social media and attributed to Bangladesh flooding. Some of these are being used to blame India for the flooding. It is important to verify sources of information and images before sharing.
Water challenges in India and Bangladesh
Many in Bangladesh believe Indian officials deliberately released water from the Dumbar Reservoir without notice.
India says they didn’t open the dam deliberately but said safety measures that release water automatically kicked in because of the amount of rain. A power outage led to a communications failure and no warning for Bangladesh residents. This was the first time since 1993 that rainfall created river levels high enough to trigger the opening of the switch gate.
In a statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said, “Floods on the common rivers between India and Bangladesh are a shared problem inflicting sufferings to people on both sides, and requires close mutual cooperation towards resolving them. As two countries sharing 54 common cross-border rivers, river water cooperation is an important part of our bilateral engagement. We remain committed to resolving issues and mutual concerns in water resources and river water management through bilateral consultations and technical discussions.”
Flooding is a recurrent problem that affects millions of people in both countries annually. It is a mix of “geographical, hydrological and meteorological factors, combined with human activities and infrastructure development,” including 30 dams built by India on the numerous cross-border rivers. Chief Advisor of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, suggested that the two countries create a high-level committee to manage flooding.
Livelihoods and agriculture
India and Bangladesh depend on the seasonal rains for farming and filling their reservoirs and aquifers. In most years, monsoons bring about 70% of the rain India needs for these tasks.
The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research says that while not enough rain can affect the ability of crops to grow, too much rain can also harm plants.
NGO BRAC USA said that almost one million acres of land have flooded Bangladesh. They report an economic impact of almost $170 million USD (BDT 20 billion).
Health
Flooding could heighten the threat of disease outbreaks. Backflow from drains mixed with floodwaters can become trapped in open areas when inundations recede. These stagnant pools often become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and bacteria, increasing the incidence of insect- and water-borne diseases. Exposure to contaminated water from inundated industrial sites, sewer systems and septic tanks also poses a significant health threat.
Immediate needs will include protection, emergency shelter, food and non-food items, emergency health care, agricultural support, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
Immediate needs
Many people are isolated in small, rural villages because of the flooding. People need urgent emergency relief support, including medicine, food, clothing and clean water. Roads are impassable, and there is a shortage of boats that can reach the remote communities.
BRAC says specific needs include: Dry and cooked food, baby food, safe drinking water and water purification tablets, temporary shelter materials, emergency medical support, hygiene and dignity kits, and cattle feed (fodder).
Cash assistance
As with most disasters, experts recommend cash donations, which allow on-the-ground agencies to direct funds to the greatest area of need, support economic recovery and ensure in-kind donation management does not detract from disaster recovery needs.
Many people lost everything in the floods. Direct cash assistance allows families to purchase items and services locally that address their multiple needs. It gives each family flexibility and choice, ensuring that support is relevant and timely. Cash assistance can also help move families faster toward rebuilding their lives.
Protection
After a disaster, the protection of vulnerable individuals (including women, children, older adults and people with disabilities) and ensuring access to basic rights are immediate priorities. Gender-based violence, including sexual assault and trafficking of vulnerable individuals, is often a priority concern. The protection and security of children are also major concerns.
Since flooding impacted rural populations as well as urban areas, it is particularly important that disaster response and recovery is tailored to the specific needs of the affected communities.
Rebuilding and reconstruction of homes
Where possible, rebuilding should focus on building back better, improving the quality of construction and investing in flood-resistant repair techniques.
No formal assessment has been completed to determine how many homes have been destroyed or damaged, but it is safe to assume that the number will be very high.
Long-term recovery and resilience
Long-term recovery needs include long-term shelter or rebuilding of homes and community infrastructure, livelihood restoration and economic recovery.
Due to elevated risks of extreme weather events, appropriate stakeholders must work toward establishing and strengthening the resilience of disaster management, response and preparedness.
Marginalized people, including refugees, people with disabilities, the elderly, transgender people, women and unaccompanied children, experience greater difficulties in accessing essential aid and services and are vulnerable to abuse, violence and exploitation at points of assistance.
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Philanthropic contributions
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(Photo: Flooding in Bangladesh, August 2024. Photo credit: CARE)
Recovery updates
f you are a responding NGO, please send updates on how you are working on recovery from this disaster to Tanya Gulliver-Garcia.
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More ways to help
CDP recommends that you ask the experts if you are considering supporting an organization or fund that is positioned to work in an affected area.
- CDP’s team is ready to help you with resources and support on responding to this disaster. You can find a variety of helpful resources on our website or reach out to one of the contacts below for more information.
- InterAction can provide resources and guidance about organizations working in affected communities.
- The Council on Foundations provides Country Notes for several countries to help foundations understand giving requirements, laws and regulations in various countries. Country notes for India are available.