Bangladesh floods: 59 killed, thousands homeless in 11 districts

Floodwaters have receded in most areas of the 11 affected districts but the struggles of those impacted continue as the disaster has left many homeless reported news agency ANIAt least 59 people died and over 53 lakh people in 11 districts were affected by the Bangladesh floodsMany people have been left without homes and lowincome families especially farmers have lost not only their houses but also their livelihoods due to the destruction of crops and ponds reported ANIFloodwaters swept away my mud house Its all I had in this world Now I have no place to live said a devastated Nurun Begum 65 of Mierpara village in Moulvibazars Kulaura upazila reported ANIIve had to take shelter on the front porch of one of my neighbours houses she explained in a helpless voice reported ANIMy house quickly went underwater after the embankment along the Manu river got breached on August 22 Even though the floodwater has receded I cannot return home as my house has been damaged Sujan Mia an autorickshaw driver from the same village said reported ANIFurther Sujan disclosed that he was staying at one of his relatives housesJamshed Ali also a resident of the Mierpara area said My vegetable garden which was my sole income source has been washed away Now how will my family survive reported ANIAccording to Moulvibazar District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Mohammad Sadu Mia around 8786 houses have been damaged by the recent flood in the districtWe have already sent a letter to higher authorities concerned seeking allocation to rehabilitate the flood victims he said reported ANICumilla has been similarly devastated by the floodsMy house and all the furniture in it have been washed away But I dont have the money to repair it said MA Azim a resident of Mohismara village under Burichang upazila reported ANIWhile expressing his grief he stated that he and his family took shelter at one of their relativesBurichang Upazila Nirbahi Officer UNO Shahida Akter said around 40000 houses in this upazila have been damaged reported ANIAccording to a government report yesterday over seven lakh families are still marooned across the country though Bangladesh floods situations are improving graduallyFlooding has subsided entirely in several districts including Chattogram Feni Khagrachari Habiganj Sylhet Brahmanbaria and Coxs Bazar said the report of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief reported ANIMeanwhile the Bangladesh floods situation has improved in Moulvibazar and the situation is gradually improving in Cumilla Noakhali and Lakshmipur it said reported ANICurrently 705052 families are still marooned reported ANIThe Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre in a bulletin yesterday said the flood situation is likely to continue to improve across the country as most of the major rivers are in a falling trendWith inputs from ANI