Attachments
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Summary of current operation update:
This operation update is issued mainly to inform progress of operation covering the period of 1 September until 31 October 2019. The planned response actions reflect the current situation and information available at this time of the operation. Details on the planned activities are available in the Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) issued on 16 September 2019.
Additionally, in October 2019 the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) reached 950 families with food packages in three new districts – Chapai Nawabganj, Rajbari and Kustia. This increased the number of districts to be supported by for this Emergency Appeal (EA) from 15 to 18 districts altogether.
Thus far, the operation has reached a total of 6,250 people in Shelter; 73,291 people in livelihoods and basic needs; 254,480 people in Health and 81,016 people in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) activities. The disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities have been planned for the recovery phase and depending on funding coverage, the activities will be adjusted accordingly.
Three months on, the EA is only at 38 per cent coverage which resulted in some key sectoral areas of activities having significant funding gaps due to budget limitations. As such, BDRCS may not be able to complete all the planned activities and fully support the most vulnerable targeted people. “The IFRC kindly encourages increased donor support to this EA that will enable the National Society to continue to contribute to the humanitarian and recovery needs of the affected people”.
Description of the disaster
Extreme monsoon rains across Bangladesh, India and Nepal have devasted significant parts of those three countries and caused disastrous floods, affecting millions of lives. These heavy rains have led to landslides and extreme flooding caused highest damages in the livelihood sector, followed by community infrastructures and shelter. According to the National Needs Assessment Working Group (NAWG), Bangladesh situation report dated 28 July 2019, more than 7.6 million people were affected in 28 districts, over 300,000 people displaced, approximately 600,000 houses damaged, and 114 people have died. On top of that media report said about 532,000 hectares of crops destroyed. It is also reported that embankments have been damaged and inundated. With the flood prevailing over one fourth areas of the country in last July, Government and Non-Government humanitarian agencies supported the affected community immediately after the flood to meet the emergency needs. The rapid emergency response was effective for the affected communities to survive during the time, but the damages caused by this flood has left the communities in a critical situation with persisting needs and priorities for recovery. According to information received from respective branches (units) of the BDRCS, people already returned to their houses and trying to recover the damages done by this flood.
In addition to that Bangladesh experienced another spell of flood in north-eastern districts named Rajshahi, Shariatpur, Kushtia, Rajbari, Chapai Nawabganj, Pabna and Natore during the first week of October 2019; which affected some new areas. Due to this second spell of flood around 40,000 people were affected according to the NAWG. Fortunately, the flood was not a prolonged one. On the other hand, the Dengue situation is still prevailing in the country. Around 25,000 new dengue patients reported during September and October 2019. This indicates that the trend is declining compare to previous month, the highest patients reported around 52,000 in August 2019.