OCHA Situation Report No. 10
Bangladesh - Floods
22 September 2004


This situation report is based on information provided by the UN Disaster 
Management Team in Dhaka.

General Situation

1. Heavy rainfall in the south, southeast and central parts of the country 
during the last two weeks resulted in severe flooding, particularly in 
urban areas. The Meteorological Department reported that 341mm rain fell 
in 24 hours in Dhaka on 13 September, the highest amount recorded in the 
last 50 years.

2. The floods cut off many transport routes and utilities, inundated 
buildings and caused further disruptions to livelihoods, aggravating 
impacts of the catastrophic monsoon floods earlier this year. In rural 
areas of the southern regions, there has been considerable damage to fish 
farms, seedbeds and vegetable cultivation, as well as to valuable aman 
rice paddy planted after recession of the recent monsoon floods.

3. Although the heavy rains have relented, severe floods are now occurring 
in the south-west, and further stresses have been placed on many people's 
lives following the recent monsoon flood episode. All monitoring points of 
the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Ganges-Padma basins recorded falls as of 21 
September. However, large quantities of standing water from the recent 
rainfalls are still hampering recovery efforts, particularly in the 
south-west region.

4. On 15 September, the rain-swollen Gumti and Kakri rivers burst through 
already weakened protective embankments and flooded 100 villages in 
Devidwar, Burichang, Chandina, Chouddogram and Muradnagar Upazilas of 
Comilla District. Officials estimate the loss at 10,000 hectars of crops 
and 700 MTs of fish stock.  600,000 people have been affected, thousands 
had to take refuge on embankments and in schools, and 6 official shelters 
had to reopen.  As of 21 September, water has receded from the village 
roads and most people had returned to their homes.  However, water is 
still standing in the paddy fields and low-lying areas. Village roads are 
damaged, hindering transportation.

National and International Response

5. The Government is making efforts to consider longer-term measures to 
combat flood threats. The Ministry of Food and Disaster Management 
organized, at the request of the Prime Minister's Office, a three-day 
workshop on 7-9 September to provide recommendations on flood mitigation, 
risk reduction and preparedness measures across the country, which 
provided recommendations to tackle future floods more comprehensively.

6. Local authorities, NGOs and other civil society organizations are 
providing assistance to the affected people through distribution of food 
and cash.

7. On behalf of the Disaster Emergency Response (DER) Secretariat, WFP has 
organised a Post Flood Assessment of Needs in 27 flood-affected districts. 
75 staff from 16 organisations including UN, donors, national and 
international NGOs participated in the assessment. Despite interruption by 
incessant rain and power failure, the field phase has been concluded and 
the draft report will be published on 22 September. The study provides 
information on the principal recovery and rehabilitation needs of monsoon 
flood affected areas, which will aid the implementation of ongoing 
activities. The DER team has closely coordinated its actions with the 
joint assessment mission of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, 
which is expected to produce a report on 26 September following field 
visits and stock-taking with the ministries concerned.

8. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations World 
Food Programme (WFP) are coordinating efforts to combat the dangers of 
serious malnutrition in the post flood period. UNICEF will target children 
and pregnant and lactating women in the most vulnerable households with 
fortified blended food and iron-folate supplements to counter anemia. It 
will also support a nationwide campaign to provide Vitamin A capsules and 
de-worming tablets for children.

9. In complementary efforts, WFP aims to provide vulnerable families with 
a basket of food items, including rice, wheat, pulses, oil and salt to 
improve nutrition and food security. Extra rations of fortified blended 
food will be provided to infants and young children as well as pregnant 
and breastfeeding women. The agency will also distribute 750 grams of 
high-energy biscuits daily for over the next ten months among 80,000 
primary school children in the worst flood-affected districts. Beneficiary 
household selection to start WFP supported Emergency Operations in October 
2004 has begun in the six most affected districts. A total of 903,800 
households (4,519,000 people) will receive 30 kg of grain (rice/wheat) 
each per month.

10. Donors are planning an aerial survey of flood-affected areas and 
rehabilitation needs in a trip facilitated by UNDP.  Participants will 
include representatives from embassies of Australia, EU, Japan, Norway, 
Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, as well as from ADB and Department for 
International Development (DfID) UK.

11. DfID has announced that it will provide substantial financial 
assistance for repair, restructuring and maintenance of flood-damaged 
roads, bridges and culverts to the Roads and Highways Department.

Response to the Flash Appeal

12. The UN Flash Appeal remains active to foster pledges of international 
assistance to meet key sectoral needs. To date, out USD 210 million, 
approximately USD 62.5 million (approximately 30 % of total requirements) 
has been channelled through the Flash Appeal. Donors are encouraged to 
provide additional funds to under-funded sectors. An update of the 
financial and in-kind contributions recorded by OCHA is available by 
clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on 
the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested 
to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of 
corrections/additions/values.

13. OCHA is in close contact with the United Nations Resident Coordinator 
(UNRC)'s office in Dhaka and will revert with further information as it 
becomes available.

14. This situation report, the Flash Appeal and further information on 
other ongoing emergencies is also available on the OCHA Internet Website 
at http://www.reliefweb.int.

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officer:
   Mr. Anvar Munavvarov
   E-mail: munavvarov@un.org
   Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1669

Press contact:
   GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
   NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. + 1-917 367 5126

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