Attachments
SITUATION OVERVIEW
Heavy monsoon rains and water flowing downstream from India's northeast have inundated large parts of the Sylhet division, leaving millions of people marooned and triggering a humanitarian crisis. The flash floods that started on the 15th of June swept away homes and inundated farmlands, forcing families to seek shelter on higher ground and temporary flood shelters. The extent of the flooding surpassed any in previous decades including the ones in 1998 and 2004. The June floods struck the people of the region as they were recovering from another unexpected recent flash flood in late May. An estimated 7.2 million people have been affected by flooding and water congestion in the nine northeastern districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Netrakona, Kishorganj, Brahmanbaria, Mymensing and Sherpur. Among the nine districts, five that have been especially heavily impacted are Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulivazar, Habiganj and Netrakona. As many as 472,856 people have been taken to around 1,605 shelter centres in a combined effort of the Army, Navy, Fire Service, and local authorities, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDMR). Many households are isolated due to floods, while some have taken shelter in open areas. The safety and security of women and girls in those households are at high risk. The Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE) reported that 106,727 water points and 283,355 latrines were damaged. The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries reported that 663,534 cattle were affected, and the Ministry of Agriculture reported that 254,251 hectors of croplands were damaged.
The Needs Assessment Working Group (NAWG) led by the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) and CARE conducted a coordinated impact assessment of the situation in collaboration with national authorities and partners. The primary purpose of the assessment was to identify the actual impact scenario, identifying immediate and mid-term needs through contextualized primary (both GoB and field data collection) and secondary information from community engagement. The analysis was also informed by baseline secondary pre-crisis information from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and other reliable sources. Sector-specific analyses were undertaken by concerned Clusters using the Joint Inter-Sectoral Analysis Framework (JIAF). The assessment data was collected by more than 60 local, national, and international agencies.
In support of the Government, the humanitarian community appealed for USD 58.4 million to respond to the emergency needs of the hardest-hit communities. A total of USD13.73 million was raised and 651,230 people were reached. Due to the limited resources, only 23.5% of the most vulnerable families were supported. UN agencies and the over 80 international and national NGOs involved in the response prioritized food, water and protection of women and girls. Half of the families reached were provided with cash assistance. Further support is needed, with funds for re-building homes and livelihoods being a priority now.