Helping victims of the Bangladesh floods

By the end of August, 23 people had died and 500,000 were rendered homeless after monsoon rains caused devastating floods in eastern Bangladesh.

“The worst flood in 34 years”

Monsoon rains caused major rivers to overflow, contributing to serious flooding in the Feni, Cumilla, Laxipur and other regions of eastern Bangladesh during late August. The low-lying country is prone to flooding, but this is the worst flood in the last 34 years.

Thousands of homes, businesses, and livelihoods were completely submerged; people were stranded on roofs, forced to wait for aid or rescue.

Half a million people had to evacuate and seek shelter in emergency centres – repurposed public buildings – but, even with 3,400 shelters, the sheer number of evacuees meant that conditions have become extremely cramped.

Health and safety at risk

Schools and medical centres have closed, and many roads are impassable. This means that people can’t get treatment, and, in the deluge of floodwater, disease is more rife than ever. Aid groups are distributing water purification tablets to enable people to drink and feed babies – but that’s a last resort. In shelters and remote communities, food supplies are scarce, and the risk of malnutrition is rising.

How we can help

By early September, the floodwaters were still covering large areas in eastern Bangladesh. Our local team has been travelling by boat to deliver food packs to isolated people in remote communities.

Day 1 – Sylhet Division, Moulvibazar District: We distributed 500 hot meals in a remote area, providing immediate relief to people affected by the flooding.

Day 2 – Sylhet Division, Moulvibazar District: We provided essential supplies to 500 families. They each received a food pack containing non-perishable food, milk, essential medicine, and a 5-litre pot of clean drinking water. Community members expressed deep gratitude, telling us that their children had been eagerly awaiting the food and that they had been without clean water for the past week.

Day 3 – Cumilla District: We distributed food packs to 450 families, many of whom said that Salam Charity was the first organisation to provide them with such a large quantity and much-needed food items.

£45 purchases a life-saving pack

We’re putting together packs of essentials – containing food as well as medicines and water – for families whose homes have been submerged by the floodwaters.

£45 will buy a pack for a family (just like yours) who have lost everything. To donate, tap “appeals> Bangladesh flood” at the top of this page.

Sources: UNICEF; Relief Web; Al Jazeera; UN.