Bangladesh: DIEM - Data in Emergencies - Floods in Bangladesh: The impact of the floods on agriculture and livelihoods, May 2024

Since the onset of the monsoon season, Bangladesh has been affected by tropical cyclone REMAL-24 and heavy flooding. Tropical cyclone REMAL-24 made landfall on 26 May 2024 with wind speeds up to 102 km/h and particularly affected the coastal part of Bangladesh. This was followed by heavy rain, triggering flooding and flash floods across Bangladesh between 26 and 29 May 2024. The Data in Emergencies (DIEM) team at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) examined satellite images in the days following these floods to understand the impact. This map provides an assessment of the potential impact of the flooding on agricultural production and livelihoods in Bangladesh.

Key highlights

• Due to tropical cyclone REMAL-24 and following heavy rains, large parts of Bangladesh, from southwest coastal districts to inner areas, were impacted between 26 and 29 May 2024.
• According to satellite based findings, over 768 000 ha were flooded, over 400 000 ha of cropland were possibly affected by flooding and nearly 50 000 ha were heavily destroyed on 27 May 2024.
• The most affected divisions were Barisa, Chittagong, Khulna and Sylhet. The most affected districts in those divisions (between 10–15 percent of the flood extent) were Bagerhat, Barisaland, Bhola, Brahamanbaria, Habiganj, Jhalokati, Khulna, Maulvibazar, Patuakhali, Satkhira, Sunamganj and Sylhet.
• The most affected cropland areas were found in Khulna and Sylhet divisions. The most affected districts in those divisions (between 17–27 percent of the flood extent) were Bagerhat, Habiganj, Jhalokati, Maulvibazar and Sylhet.
• According to the findings, the most affected upazilas (between 30–42 percent) were, in order: Lakhai, Kutubdia, Bagerhat Sadar, Bijoynagar, Morrelganj, Kanthalia, Nabiganj, Tungi Para and Rampal. The most affected cropland areas (between 36–50 percent) were, in order: Gendaria, Kutubdia, Bagerhat Sadar, Bijoynagar, Lakhai, Tungi Para, Nabiganj, Bakalia, Morrelganj, Kanthalia and Fenchuganj upazilas. Nearly 50 percent of the cropland was found to be flooded in Gendaria upazila in Dhaka district and Kutubdia upazila in Cox's Bazar district.
• The most affected crop in terms of cultivated area was kharif vegetables, followed by fruits (mangoes, for example) and oilseeds (sesame, for example). However, it should be noted that most of these crops only sustained minor impacts.
• Over 110 000 ha of tree cover and over 55 000 ha of mangroves were affected by the floods. The overall flooded area in the Sunderbans reserve was over 45 000 ha and within the reserve, the Khulna and Satkhira ranges were most affected by flooding.