Dhaka (Business Emerge), October 8: Northern Bangladesh is facing severe destruction as relentless floods, fueled by heavy rainfall and upstream river torrents, have claimed five lives and left more than 100,000 people stranded. As waters continue to rise, the situation is growing more critical, with officials warning of further devastation.
The district of Sherpur is one of the worst affected, where swelling river levels have submerged new areas, displacing thousands of families. Roads, bridges, and homes are submerged under several feet of water, making rescue efforts extremely challenging.
Local resident Abu Taher expressed his shock, saying, “I have never witnessed such flooding in my lifetime.” The situation has prompted the intervention of the army, which has deployed boats and helicopters to rescue stranded residents and deliver essential supplies.
In response to the crisis, Sherpur district administrator Torofdar Mahmudur Rahman emphasized that the top priority is the evacuation of people to safer locations and ensuring that basic supplies are provided. The damage to the region’s infrastructure has severely hampered rescue efforts, as key roads and bridges remain inaccessible due to rising floodwaters.
The ongoing floods are threatening not only lives but also livelihoods. Agricultural lands, particularly rice crops, are at risk of complete destruction. Authorities fear that if the waters do not recede soon, the long-term economic impact on farmers could be catastrophic.
The country, home to 170 million people, is no stranger to flooding, but the frequency and intensity of these natural disasters appear to be worsening, exacerbated by the effects of climate change. A 2015 report by the World Bank Institute estimated that 3.5 million people in Bangladesh are vulnerable to annual river flooding, a figure that may now be even higher.
The situation is expected to worsen, as the weather office has forecast additional rainfall in the coming days, raising concerns about further flooding. Recent floods in August caused by monsoon rains had already left over 70 people dead, with damages estimated at $1.20 billion.
Another grim discovery was made when a decomposed body, suspected to have drifted downstream from India, was found in the area. This underscores the widespread and cross-border impact of the floods.
Local authorities remain on high alert, continuing their rescue operations while bracing for potential further inundation in the days ahead.