Bangladesh Flood Response Update

26th August 2007 (numbers updated from 19th August)

Summary

· Total fatalities to date are 719 as of 21st August 2007.
· International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) hospital reports that the high rate of admission of diarrhoea patients continues.
· The Director General of Health Services has reported that between 30th July and 25th August that over 83,000 people have contracted diarrhoea
· Rate of eye infections have also increased sharply
· Though many flood-affected families were returning to their flood-ravaged homes last week, many are under the threat of another following flood. (See forecast)

Other damage to the country as reported previously are-

· More than 16 million people in 251 sub-districts under 39 districts have been badly affected by the floods which has damaged their homesteads, livelihoods and impacted on their health.
· Approximately 1.5 million acres of agricultural crops (seedbeds, transplanted seedlings, vegetables and standing jutes) are partially or fully damaged, with the approximate worth over 150 million BDT.
· 532 educational institutions completely destroyed and 5608 partially damaged.
· 2,817 km roads completely and 17,463 roads partially damaged
· Over 89,000 homes completely and over 650,000 homes partially destroyed
· Floods waters continue to inundate much of the low-lying eastern part of Dhaka City and many people have taken shelter in government offices and schools. There is a shortage of food, and drinking water. Many people affected by flooding in the city have fallen sick with water-borne diseases.

Forecasting

· Flood situation is improving gradually and no further flooding is expected in the northern and central districts.
· The flood situation around eastern part of Dhaka City is improving and it is expected that waters will recede totally within next 2-3 days.

Emergency Interventions

Government Support
· The government has announced that they will provide every month 10kg of rice to a total of 2,981,500 extremely poor families in all the districts affected. This rice distribution was to start on 22nd August.
· In addition to the supply of rice, the government has said they will also give Taka 10, 000 (140 US $) to each of these families
· The government has made a rehabilitation budget of 20 million taka for the flood affected people

Responses by other Organisations

Many international and national NGOs continue to be involved in distributing relief as previously reported. Despite the efforts by so many organisations and the government, it is still proving difficult to ensure that all affected families especially the poor are adequately reached and supported.

Narrative

Country Level Update (numbers updated from 16th August)

Since last week the flood situation is improving gradually and no further flooding is expected in the northern and central districts. The flood situation around eastern part of Dhaka City is improving and it is expected that waters will recede totally within next 2-3 days.
Since July 30th total fatalities to date are over 700 as of 21st August 2007. In addition to diarrhoea, eye infections are also high.

Other damage to the country as reported previously are-
39 of the country's 64 districts in the north, centre and east are affected and over 89,000 homes completely and more than 650,000 homes partially destroyed. More than 16 million people have been badly affected by the floods which has damaged their homesteads, livelihoods and impacted on their health. Approximately 1.5 million acres of agricultural crops (seedbeds, transplanted seedlings, vegetables and standing jutes) are partially or fully damaged, with estimated value of over 150 million BDT. 532 educational institutions completely destroyed and 5,608 partially damaged and 2,817 km roads completely and 17,463 roads partially damaged.

Government Response

The government has announced that they will provide every month 10kg of rice to a total of 2,981,500 extremely poor families in all the districts affected by the flood. This rice distribution was to start on 22nd August. In addition to the supply of rice, the government has said they will also give Taka 10, 000 (140 US $) to each of these families. The government has made a rehabilitation budget of 20 million taka for the flood affected people

Concern Worldwide Response

Concern has completed its relief response for 11,000 families in Sirajganj, Manikganj and Faridpur districts (31st July-9th August). High Energy Biscuits supplied by WFP were distributed to 13,916 families in four districts (Faridpur, Rajbari, Shariatpur and Magura), each family received 3kg biscuits as a supplementary food for four days. Concern has also completed relief for a further 24,500 families (10-23 August) in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Sirajgonj, Faridpur, Manikganj, Jamalpur, Tangail and Shariatpur
Relief package per family included food ration for 15 days consisting of 30 kg rice, 3kg pulse, 2 litres of oil, 1 kg salt, 5 packets ORS and 10 packets, soya protein biscuits.

Concern and its partner agencies have plans to support a further 31,000 families with food and non-food relief for 15 days. This will be supported by the funding from ECHO. Furthermore 400,000 Euro has already been confirmed from Concern Headquarter in Dublin

Concern has requested Irish Aid to fund the relief distribution for a further 15-day relief package for the above mentioned 24,500 most adversely affected families in eight districts. Other proposals submitted to fund the flood response are to Isle of Man (IOM) and to Guernsey. Concern continues to contact different donors to ensure adequate resources to implement its overall emergency response plan.

Photos

Morsheda from Gaburjan village, Uilipur upazila, Kurigram Dsitrict waiting with her daughter for the long line of people in the relief to go. She walked from her village which is about 2 km from the relief distribution centre, “ I am waiting here since 8 in the morning and it seems it will afternoon before my turn comes. I have three children and my youngest has come with me as she doesn’t like being on her own. My home was submerged in chest-high water for almost eight days and now after the waters have receded it is muddy all around. I need this relief package desperately.”Photo: Mahmud, Map/Concern Aug 07.

Binodini Das (Dagarpar, Anantpur, Kurigram) – “evry year floods and erosion has made my village very poor. I have 5 children and during these floods my husband has no work. I have heard that they will give us a good amount of food – this will save us from starvation”.Photo: Mahmud, Map/Concern Aug 07

Ziaur Rahman from Anantapur, Hatia, Kurigram –“I am disabled and have taken shelter on an embankment with my family. I am very grateful for the relief package. This year the quantity and items are more and of good quality. This will be good for us.”Photo: Mahmud, Map/Concern Aug 07

Ratna’s is waiting for relief in the rain with her little daughter, Josna. Ratna carried Josna to the relief distribution – “I have to bring my youngest with me, my husband is too weak to come. Our home is under water and we are taking shelter on the embankment. This year the beneficiary selection was good using the NGOs, previously relief distribution was influenced by the elite and there favoritism was much nepotism”. Photo: Mahmud, Map/Concern Aug 07