Bangladesh: Floods - Jul 1996
Disaster description
Heavy monsoon rains over the subcontinent in July caused severe flooding in large areas of Bangladesh, as the country's main rivers drained water southwards. River embankments were breached in many places, forcing hundreds of thousands of families to evacuate their homes and seek temporary shelter on roads, in boats and on embankments. Thousands of acres of crops were damaged, roads and bridges washed away and wells destroyed. (IFRC, 12 Sep 1996)
The updated damage report of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief provided the following information as of 31 July: 38 districts affected; 5,665,319 persons affected; 33 human lives lost; 168,145 houses fully damaged 168,145 ; and 126,328 acres fully crop damaged. (UN DHA, 1 Aug 1996)