Severe Flash Floods Situation Update 1 (19 June 2022)

The heavy monsoon rains and water from upstream in India's northeast have inundated large parts of the Sylhet division, leaving million marooned and triggering a humanitarian crisis. The flash floods swept away homes and inundated farmlands, forcing families to seek shelter on higher ground and temporary flood shelters, while power cut is making life miserable. Information to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), around 90 per cent of Sunamganj and over 60 per cent of Sylhet were submerged. According to the FFWC, the flood situation in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrakona districts may deteriorate further in the next 24 hours. The water level will continue to rise for the next three days. Experts considered the flood worse than the ones they had experienced in 1998 and 2004. The crisis struck at a time when people of the division were recovering from unexpected recent floods. Flash flood estimated 4.3 million people is impacted by this sudden flash flood and water congestion in seven northeastern Districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulivazar, Habiganj, Netrokona, Kishorganj and Branbaria. Many households are isolated due to floods, while some have taken shelter in open areas. The safety and security of women and girls in those households are at high risk. As many as 25,000 people have been taken to around 450 shelter centres in Sylhet at the same time 65,000 people were evacuated to 200 shelter centres in Sunamganj in combined efforts of the Army, Navy, Fire service and the local authority said to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR). Besides the northeast, the mild flood also hit the northern districts. The GoB in a press conference said 64 Upazilas of 10 districts have been hit by the flood all over Bangladesh.