This year’s monsoon season arrived very early and has been extremely active throughout Bangladesh. It has been two months since early monsoon rains first inundated Bangladesh in the second week of June, causing severe flooding and landslides. Simultaneously, tornado struck several areas, which further aggravated the situation. Although the disaster situation has been gradually developing from June, it has rapidly deteriorated since 18 July. Another wave of floods hit the country during this period, increasing the flood damage statistics drastically.
According to the national Directorate of Relief and Rehabilitation, as of 15 August 363 people have died and 1,401 people injured by the flood disaster. 10.6 million people (2.3 million families) have been affected in rain soaked villages and towns in the northern, north eastern, and central districts of Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and the International Federation Delegation have been maintaining close contact with all the socieities district branches in the flood-affected districts. Branches have been instructed to mobilize members, volunteers and Red Crescent Youth volunteers for the current relief operation.
The local Red Crescent branches, with the help of the youth volunteers, have assisted the affected people by moving them to safer ground and have also participated in distribution of limited emergency relief organized by the Red Crescent branches through local fundraising, for immediate distribution among the affected population.
The Bangladesh Red Crescent and the International Federation Delegation have conducted a joint assessment in response to floods. Following instructions from the societies disaster relief field manual, the local Red Crescent branches prepared a beneficiary list with the support of Youth volunteers for distribution of food items among the affected vulnerable families. The joint monitoring team of society and the International Federation delegation checked the list.
Red Crescent youth volunteers in the flood affected district branches worked hard and providing excellent support for the timely implementation of the relief operations. All distributions were made directly to the selected beneficiaries through the local Red Crescent branches. The youth volunteers actively took part in the distributions of the relief goods among the selected beneficiaries. Youth participation has been enthusiastic and has been greatly contributing to the overall success of the operation.
Shafiquzzaman Rabbani, Regional OD consultant, South Asia Regional Delegation, International Federation
Filed under: International, Press
