The heavy rains that began on August 20 triggered sudden and severe floods, turning into a real nightmare for millions of people in Bangladesh. According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, as of Friday, August 23, more than 4.4 million people have been affected in 11 districts across the country. The death toll stands at 13.
Kamrul Hasan, Secretary of the Ministry, said at a press conference that due to the severe flooding, the situation has become dire in districts such as Feni, Chittagong, Comilla, Noakhali, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Brahmanbaria, Lakshmipur, Khagrachari, and Cox's Bazar.
More than 887,000 families remain without access to drinking water. Hundreds of thousands of people, whose homes have been destroyed by the floods, are forced to seek refuge in 3,160 temporary shelters. Medical teams are operating in these shelters. The army and navy are actively participating in rescue operations. The government of Bangladesh has provided financial and humanitarian assistance to the affected people. The consequences of the floods are catastrophic.
In Brahmanbaria district, road traffic between Akhaura and Kasba was halted due to the collapse of part of a bridge. Another bridge on this road is under serious threat. At least eight local roads have been damaged by the water. Power supply has been cut off because the electric poles on the sides of the two collapsed and endangered bridges have been dismantled, leaving some areas without electricity. Various fish enclosures, rice fields, and vegetable gardens in these areas have been damaged.
Experts estimate that the water arrived faster and in greater volumes than expected, complicating rescue operations.
Sardar Udoy Raihan, Executive Engineer of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center, commented on the forecast and preparation for the disaster: "Preparations were made for this sudden flood. But in reality, our initial study did not predict the scale of the flood... Compared to the initial assessment we had, the flood has intensified. More water came than we expected. As a result, the flood became very severe."
"Additionally, heavy rains fell due to low monsoon pressure. The tide level in the ocean was high. Overall, the flood intensified."
The expert's words about the difficulty of predicting the scale of the impending natural disaster once again highlight that the climate is now undergoing changes not seen for at least the past 12,000 years — something humanity has not yet faced in such magnitude and frequency of climate-related disasters. This means that making accurate forecasts is now extremely difficult, as specialists rely on recent experience. Naturally, such inaccurate forecasts primarily affect people. We recommend that you explore the causes of the ongoing climate changes on the planet, as well as the solutions proposed by scientists, to protect your life and the lives of your loved ones. You can find more information on this at the "Global Crisis. The Responsibility" forum.