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Worries of waterborne disease increase in Bangladesh as floods recede gradually

Authorities in Bangladesh are bracing for the spread of waterborne diseases and racing to get drinking water to people after devastating floods recently that left a minimum of 54 individuals dead and millions stranded

As floodwaters decline slowly, many people remain stranded. and in immediate need of food, clean water, medicine and dry clothing, especially in remote locations where blocked roadways have impeded rescue and relief efforts.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department said that flood conditions could persist if the monsoon rains continued, as water levels were declining extremely gradually.

Around 470,000 people have taken haven in 3,300 shelters across 11 flood-hit districts, where around 600 medical groups are helping offer treatment, with the army, air force, navy, and the border guard assisting in rescue operations, authorities stated.

A disaster management ministry official cautioned that as floodwaters recede, there is a risk of an epidemic, including that the break out of waterborne illness is most likely if tidy water is not offered quickly.

Our leading priority is to guarantee the accessibility of safe drinking water, the official said.

In the previous 24 hours, around 3,000 people have been hospitalized due to waterborne diseases in flood-hit areas, according to the Directorate General of Health Solutions. Many locations stayed immersed, avoiding stranded individuals from accessing health care facilities.

Water is all over but there is no tidy water to consume. People are getting sick, said Farid Ahmed, a citizen of one of the worst-hit districts, Lakshmipur.

Huge locations of land are submerged, presenting a considerable hazard to crops, farming ministry authorities said.

The U.N. kids's firm has cautioned that two million children were at danger as the worst floods in three decades sweep through eastern Bangladesh. The organization is urgently appealing for $35 million to supply life-saving materials.

The devastating floods in eastern Bangladesh are a tragic tip of the unrelenting impact of severe weather condition events and the climate crisis on kids, stated Emma Brigham, Deputy Representative of UNICEF Bangladesh.

An analysis in 2015 by the World Bank Institute approximated that 3.5 million people in Bangladesh, one of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations, were at threat of annual river flooding. Researchers associate the exacerbation of such disastrous events to environment modification.

Farah Kabir, director of ActionAid Bangladesh, stated that countries like Bangladesh, which contribute minimally to worldwide emissions, urgently need moneying to recover from climate-related losses and build resilience for future impacts while pursuing green development pathways.

(source: Reuters)