14 August 2007 - As rainfall and water levels in most parts of Bangladesh decrease, people affected by the flooding are left without anything. An Action Against Hunger team is on the ground to launch an emergency operation.

People without resources

230 rivers cross Bangladesh, a country bordering north-east India, and each year at least a fifth of the country is submerged in floods. This year saw 40% of the country flooded leading to severe damage; more than 10 million people are thought to have lost their homes, belongings and crops. Families living in tea plantations have especially been affected by the flooding, and numerous roads and bridges have been destroyed. Families have sought refuge on higher planes or in shelter. Needs are immense, especially food, drinking water and basic needs items such as cooking utensils and covers.

As water levels have started to decrease, 34,989 cases of diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases have been registered by the World Health Organisation. 320 people have died from the consequences of diarrhoea, snake bites and drowning since the floods began. Stagnant water, mosquitoes and waste have made the water unfit for consumption, and has led to the spreading of numerous diseases such as dysentery. Hospitals in the main cities are faced with a massive influx of people suffering from these symptoms. The hospital in Dhaka admits about a thousand patients suffering from diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases every day. Different sanitary institutions are closely monitoring the situation fearing an outbreak of epidemics. Cholera is endemic in the country and the fragile situation of people affected makes them even more vulnerable to contracting diseases like this.

Responding to immediate needs

As the government and other organisations on the ground are mainly providing food and basic needs items, Action Against Hunger plans to respond to needs in drinking water and hygiene.

An emergency coordinator, two logisticians, a water and sanitation officer and a food security officer are already present in the country, and are preparing an intervention to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable people in isolated areas where assistance has not yet arrived.

For more information, please contact Sylvain Trottier on strottier@actioncontrelafaim.org or 0033 1 43 35 88 43 (France) or Christine Kahmann on c.kahmann@aahuk.org or 0208293 6197 (UK).

ENDS

Action Against Hunger is an international humanitarian organisation, working in 43 of the world's poorest countries. Its vocation is to save lives, especially those of malnourished children, and to work with vulnerable populations to preserve and restore their livelihoods with dignity.