Floods in North, Northeast, and Southeast Bangladesh
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Start Briefing Note: Floods in north, northeast, and southeast Briefing Note – 17 August 2017 Sunamganj 6/11 53/88 93,700 n/a n/a Floods in north, northeast, Sylhet* 5/13 55/105 35,100 n/a n/a and southeast Bangladesh Thakorgaon 5/5 44/51 115,200 23,300 23,000 Total 90 649 3,526,500 179,900 282,400 Very low Low Moderate Significant Major D-Form 15/08/2017; D-Form Gaibandha 14/08/2017: NDRCC 15/08/2017 Expected impact X *Though news reports state 20 districts have been affected, the NDRCC only specifies 14. Numbers for Khagrachhari, Mymensingh, Rangpur, and Sylhet are taken from the D-Form. There is no definition for affected upazilas; it is unclear to what extent the upazilas are affected. Overview Key findings As of 17 August, an estimated 20 out of a total 64 districts have been affected by floods. The situation was raised as a concern on 11 August. An estimated 3.5–3.9 million As of 17 August, 18–20 districts have been affected by floods as people have been affected. The affected districts span north, northeast, and southeast Anticipated a result of heavy monsoon rainfall and onrush of water from India. Bangladesh. As neighbouring upstream countries are also experiencing major flooding, scope and Water is currently receding in Nilphamari, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, floods are expected to continue. scale Panchargarh, Lalmonirhat, and Rangpur districts. As of 17 August, at least 48–57 people have been killed, but the death toll is likely to be The 1988 and 1998 floods covered over 60% of the country. To higher. The total number of temporarily displaced people is unclear as numbers from reach these levels, waters of the Ganges, Meghna, and government agencies differ and are likely to be incomplete. The NDRCC estimates that Brahmaputra need to all exceed danger levels simultaneously. As as of 15 August 282,400 people are sheltering in 1,400 shelters. of 16 August, around 30 stations along Bangladesh rivers are Affected Affected No. people Damaged No. people District Upazilas union affected shelter displaced reporting water levels on or above danger levels. Waters of the Jamuna river are at critical levels. As floods move down stream, Brahmanbaria 2/9 5/100 3,300 n/a n/a centrally located districts may also be affected. Though it is 29/109 n/a Bogra 3/12 103,900 1,200 unclear how severe the impact will be, the number of people Dinajpur 13/13 78/78 457,100 n/a 173,800 affected will be high due to the population density in these areas. Gaibandha 4/7 26/82 252,100 31,500 20,300 Although the Ganges is currently not flowing above danger levels, its waters are expected to increase as upstream Nepal and Bihar Jamalpur 5/7 32/68 565,500 9,700 4,000 state in India are experiencing major flooding. Geographical Kurigram 9/9 62/73 421,500 102,700 25,000 areas expected to be most at risk are located around the Ganges– Khagrachhari* 1/9 1/38 2,100 n/a n/a Jamuna confluence. Lalmonirhat 5/5 35/45 411,000 n/a 8,900 Key priorities Shelter: an estimated 282,000 people have left their homes Mymensingh* 1/12 6/43 80,000 n/a 6,000 and moved to flood shelters; the probable length of this Netrakona 5/10 29/86 121,000 2,400 550 displacement has not been assessed. The number of displaced to informal settlements on embankments or in host Nilphamari 6/6 51/51 166,000 n/a 4,400 communities is not clear. Panchargarh 5/5 40/43 181,200 n/a 7,500 WASH: There is an immediate need of drinking water as Rangpur* 7/8 42/76 222,500 n/a 300 tube-wells have been inundated. Sanitation facilities are Rangamati 3/10 21/50 32,000 1,900 n/a inadequate in flood shelters and non-existent on embankments, heightening the risk of waterborne disease. Sirajganj 5/9 40/83 263,300 8,400 3,100 1 Start Briefing Note: Floods in north, northeast, and southeast others have managed to run out of existing food stocks they managed to take with them. Food stocks have been flooded. People in shelters and No cooking facilities are available (Daily Star 16/08/2017). embankments may have run out of their limited food stocks. There is currently reports of food availability on the local Livelihoods: Livestock have reportedly been killed by floods. In Horipur union, markets, however ability to access to this may be reducing Sundargonj upazila, Gaibandha, around 800 poultry has reportedly been killed. due to insufficient funds to buy food. Livestock may also be suffering from disease (CDD SitRep 16/08/2017). Aman seeds have already been planted. The biggest concern for farmers is the Response Embankments and dams are at risk due to high flood waters. impossibility of replanting Aman if the fields are inundated. The next harvest will not be constraints Several roads have been damaged in northern districts. Saidpur until early November. If flood waters recede within the next 2–3 days, there is a chance airport is at risk of being submerged. some of the damaged crop can be restored. However if waters stand until late August, damage may be irreparable (Daily Star 15/08/2017). Limitations Vegetable crops have been damaged; it is unlikely these crops can recover (Daily Star Data from D-Forms for individual districts differs from the overarching D-Form of 15/08/2017. Data 15/08/2017). Some of the known damages include: from the MoDMR and NDRCC is inconsistent. Situation reports and news outlets all report different figures in terms of people affected, crops affected, and the number of people killed. It is In Dinajpur, at least 120,700ha of crops were damaged (Dhaka Tribune 14/08/2017; Daily Star 14/08/2017). unclear which data is most reliable at this point. It is difficult to predict the rainfall or onrush of water from upstream areas which may aggravate current floods. In Gaibandha, some 5,000ha of sown Aman paddy was inundated. Impact In Lalmonirhat around 25,000ha of agricultural land damaged. Some 300 fishing Heavy monsoon rains, combined with flood water from India, has resulted in overflowing ponds were washed away by flood waters across five upazilas (Daily Star 13/08/2017). rivers in Bangladesh. As of 16 August, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre states 29 stations are currently above danger levels. An estimated 3.5–3.9 million people have In Kurigram around 42,300ha of vegetable cultivation is inundated affecting been affected (NDRCC 15/08/2017; D-Form 15/08/2017). around 300,000 farmers (SKS Foundation 15/08/2017; D-Form Kurigram 14/08/2017; D- Form Gaibandha 14/08/2017). Shelter: As of 15 August, around 282,000 people are reportedly taking shelter in around 1,400 flood shelters (NDRCC 15/08/2017). Some 600–800 Indian nationals who crossed the In Sunamganj, around 18,000ha of cropland has been inundated, including border into Lalmonirhat Sadar and Aditmari, Lalmonirhat are also taking up refuge in around 700ha of Aman rice and 5,000ha of Rupa Aman rice. shelters (Dhaka Tribune 15/08/2017; Al Jazeera 16/08/2017). More people are reportedly exposed In Nilphamari around 38,000ha of crops were damaged (Christian Aid SitRep to the elements while sheltering on embankments. This includes an estimated 70,000 15/08/2017). families in the six northern districts of Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, In Thakorgaon around 26,000ha of crops were damaged (Christian Aid SitRep and Dinajpur (RDRS SitRep 16/08/2017). At least 5,000 people in Kurigram are sheltering on 15/08/2017). embankments (Plan International 14/08/2017). Additional displaced households are reportedly located with host families (ECHO 14/08/2017). Health: As of 17 August, different sources report at least 57 people have been killed. This includes at least 23 people in Dinajpur, 15 in Kurigram, five in Lalmonirhat, five in WASH: Floods are likely to have affected the quality of water supply as tube wells have Nilphamari, two in Sunamganj, two in Bogra, one in Thakorgoan, and one in Jamalpur. become inundated. Those sheltering on embankments face limited access to sanitation The NDRCC reports that as of 15 August and since 11 August 48 people died due to facilities increasing the rate of open defecation. People are sheltering on embankments drowning, lightning, and snakebites (Dhaka Tribune 17/08/2017; NDRCC 15/08/2017; BD News 24 alongside their cattle, creating further unsanitary living conditions. This increases the 15/08/2017; BD News 24 14/08/2017; BD News 24 14/08/2017; Dhaka Tribune 14/08/2017; GUK SitRep risk of waterborne disease (Daily Star 16/08/2017). 15/08/2017). Food: Floods have affected food stocks; flood affected people are reportedly surviving NFIs: People taking shelter in embankments are without beds, household utensils, or on limited stocks of dry foods and puffed rice. People sheltering on embankments have clothes (Plan International 14/08/2017). limited food supplies. Having spent three days on embankments at the time of writing, 2 Start Briefing Note: Floods in north, northeast, and southeast Protection: Children sheltering on embankments are at risk of drowning. Drowning is the affected. Several have lost their disability aids (CDD SitRep 16/08/2017). People with the number one cause of death among children in Bangladesh (Plan International 14/08/2017). disabilities may have greater difficulty accessing basic needs during a disaster, In addition, children in these situations are less likely to receive assistance than children including food, water, shelter, sanitation, and healthcare services.