Dozens dead, over 2.8 mln affected by floods in Bangladesh

Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-22 20:33:21|Editor: huaxia

DHAKA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 86 people died in Bangladesh floods triggered by heavy seasonal rains and onrush of water from hills across the Indian borders that worsened again this week, official figures showed Wednesday.

According to the daily flood situation report of country's disaster response coordination center, "the floods till date since June 30 caused the deaths of 86 people in 21 (out of 64) districts."

Most victims have drowned in the flood-hit areas.

Of the victims, the report said, "71 people died from drowning, one form diarrhoea, one from other cause, eight from lightnings, five from snakebites."

Widespread damage to habitation, crops, roads and highways across vast swathes of the country have also been reported.

More than 2.8 million people have been affected, including over 1 million who remain isolated and surrounded by floodwaters, according to the Bangladesh Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Wednesday said a natural disaster has been deepening in South Asia as new figures reveal that more than 9.6 million people have been affected by monsoon floods, devastating large areas of India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Jagan Chapagain, secretary general of IFRC, said that millions of people across Bangladesh, India and Nepal have been marooned, their homes damaged and crops destroyed by floods.

"Every year there are monsoon floods, but this year is different as it comes at the height of a deadly COVID-19 global pandemic. Tragically, already 550 people have lost their lives and more than 9.6 million people have been swamped across South Asia," he was quoted as saying in a prepared statement on Wednesday. Enditem

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