ReliefWeb

A cold wave struck the northern districts of the sub-Himalayan regions of Bangladesh, claiming more than 72 lives since mid-December 2012. The number of pneumonia and diarrhoeal patients, mostly older population and children, continues to increase. The cold wave has also caused crop and other natural resource losses, which will have a longer term negative impact on the economic situation of the country. The communities in the north were already affected by seasonal flood three times in 2012 and are now left with limited financial resources to purchase any materials to deal with the cold. (IFRC, 4 Jan 2013)

On 10 Jan 2013, temperatures dropped to their lowest point in Bangladesh's post-independence history (AFP, 10 Jan 2013).