Attachments
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the disaster
Since 19 July 2016, heavy rains in the main river basins of Bangladesh and upstream catchments of India caused severe flooding in the north and north-eastern parts of Bangladesh affecting an estimated 3.7 million people (740,000 families) and 106 people died across 19 districts. The official estimates indicate at least 250,000 houses destroyed or damaged. In addition, due to riverbank erosion a large number of houses and homesteads washed away. During the month of July 2016; 13% more rainfall than the previous year had been experienced in all 8 divisions of the country.
Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC) Bangladesh country office completed a rapid assessment in nine districts of the country’s north and northeastern regions. Situation reports from the National Disaster Response Coordination Centre (NDRCC) and reports from BDRCS local branches as well as other NGOs brought attention to the seriousness of flooding in those districts clustered around the north (Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Bogra, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Madaripur, Sariatpur, Sunamganj, Faridpur, Rajbari, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Tangail, Dhaka, Chandpur and Rajshahi).
Considering the severe deterioration of the situation, an intercluster meeting was organized on 1 August as well as an ad-hoc Humanitarian Coordination Task Team (HCTT) on 4 August that decided to trigger a Joint Needs Assessment (JNA). The Needs Assessment Working Group (NAWG) analyzed the situation and reported their findings to the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR) on 7 August. Based on these findings, the clusters/sectors revised their draft response plan and the HCTT Humanitarian Response Plan was presented to the HCTT on 11 August.
Due to increased flood water, overall mobility of char (island) dwellers had become limited. Livelihood of many had been suspended particularly for farmers whose crops had been heavily damaged. The affected communities adopted negative coping means such as taking loans or selling out poultry and livestock for survival. Crops like paddy, jute, dhaincha, kowon and vegetables severely damaged; around 610,00 hectors of standing crops had suffered damages.
Most of the schools in chars were inundated due to the floods. As mobility of char and village dwellers was limited in many cases schools were shut down. According to the preliminary data from directorate of primary education, a total 1,500 schools directly affected by flood.
The markets had been affected by the flood initially. Prices of the some of the items were reported higher compared to normal price. However, the markets became fully functional in couple of weeks.
Around 25,000 water points were damaged according to DPHE report. Most of the latrines were inundated and safe drinking water facilities were contaminated with flood waters. It was anticipated that the water borne diseases likely to go up if flood conditions retain. It was reported in the HCTT assessment that 12,216 people suffered from flood related diseases between 25 July to 9 August 2016. Water and sanitation systems had been disrupted, triggering an increase in water borne disease such as diarrhea, skin and eye infections.