# Bangladesh floods, August 2024

On August 21, 2024, heavy rainfall and the influx of water from India caused a flood situation in the eastern part of Bangladesh. Due to the influx of water from India and continuous heavy rainfall, Feni and Noakhali, along with ten other districts of the country, were inundated in one of the worst floods in recent history. Additionally, due to heavy rainfall and excessive rainfall, the lowlands of five districts in the north-east, south-east, and east of the country experienced a short-term flood situation due to the influx of water from upstream.

## Events
### 19 August

Due to severe flooding in Feni district, power supply to Parshuram, Fulgazi, Chagalnaiya, Sonagazi, and parts of Dagonbhuj upazilas were completely cut off. Additionally, Feni town experienced a power outage from afternoon to night due to waterlogging caused by heavy rainfall.

### 20 August

According to the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry, a flood situation arose, submerging 65 upazilas in the districts of Comilla, Brahmanbaria, Feni, Chattogram, Khagrachari, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, and Sylhet.

### 21 August

The flood situation in Nangalkot upazila of Comilla deteriorated. Many areas of the upazila were inundated by floodwaters since morning. Millions of people in most areas of the 16 unions and one municipality of the upazila were marooned. Most rural roads and crop fields were submerge.

### 22 August

At 6 PM, the water flow at the Dalya point was recorded at 51.50 centimeters. The danger level for this point is considered to be 52.15 centimeters. At the same time, the water flow at the Kaunia point was 28.61 centimeters, with a danger level of 29.31 centimeters. Compared to 3 PM, the water flow at this point increased by 0.7 centimeters at 6 PM.

### 23 August

At 9 AM, the water level of the Gomati River at the Devi Dwara point in Comilla was measured at 8.58 meters, which is 53 centimeters above the danger level. At the same time, the river water was flowing at a height of 12.48 meters at the Comilla point. An analysis of 37 years of data from 1988 to 2024 by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) revealed that the Gomati River had never reached such a high level during this period.

### 24 August

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Center reported that there was no significant rainfall in the past 24 hours in the Indian Tripura border areas of the eastern districts of Comilla, Brahmanbaria, and Feni, as well as in the inner catchment of the Tripura state. The water levels in the upstream rivers continued receded. The flood situation in the low-lying areas of Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Feni, Comilla, and Chattogram districts improved.

### 25 August

The flood situation in Noakhali has deteriorated drastically due to the upstream water from Feni. The flood-affected areas are crying out for relief, while the markets are facing a food shortage and the victims are overwhelmed by snake infestations. The flood situation in Lakshmipur is deteriorating. The water level, which was at a certain height on Sunday morning (August 25), was observed to have risen further by the evening.

### 26 August

India has opened all 109 gates of the Farakka Barrage amid the devastating floods currently underway in Bangladesh. These gates were opened on Monday (August 26). As a result, 1.1 million cubic feet per second of water will flow into Bangladesh in a single day. The opening of the dam has raised concerns about further flooding in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, India, as well as in Bangladesh.

### 27 August

Although the floodwaters in Lakshmipur had started to recede somewhat, the situation has deteriorated again due to continuous rain since Tuesday night (August 27). On-site observations revealed that vast swathes of settlements, agricultural lands, and businesses have been submerged.After six days, the flood situation in Mirsharai, Chattogram, is showing signs of improvement. However, even as the water recedes, the scars of the disaster are evident. The affected areas resemble a war-torn landscape.Feni, August 27, 2024 (BSS): The floodwaters in the district have receded further. However, some localities in Dagonbhuj and Sonagazi upazilas are still inundated, while most areas in other upazilas have been cleared of floodwaters. District administration sources report that the flood situation, which has lasted for eight days across the district, is improving.Faruk Ahmed, the advisor on disaster management and relief, has stated that no new areas have been inundated even after the Farakka barrage gates were opened.

## Cause

Experts believe that the sudden heavy rainfall caused by a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, coupled with upstream water from transboundary rivers, led to the sudden flood situation in the country. Simultaneously, the opening of the dam of the Dumbura Hydroelectric Project in the Indian state of Tripura is also attributed to this sudden flood. Although Indian media reported this, the Indian government later denied it. Bangladeshi locals accused India of releasing water from the Dumbur dam with no warning.

## Casualties

A total of 31 people were killed by the floods, including 12 in Cumilla, six in Noakhali, five in Chattogram, three in Cox's Bazar, two in Feni and one each in Khagrachhari, Brahmanbaria and Lakshmipur, with 5.8 million people affected.

## Detriment

Due to hilly landslides from Tripura, India, the water levels of the Titas, Sinai, Buri, Bijna, and Salda rivers in Kasba have increased. As a result, 600 hectares of Aman paddy in Kasba and low-lying areas of various villages have been submerged.
In a briefing on the flood situation on August 22, KM Ali Reza, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, said that at least 2,904,964 people have been affected by the ongoing floods in 8 districts of the country. In 11 flood-affected districts of Bangladesh, 887,629 families are stranded. The number of people affected by the floods is around 4.5 million. So far, 13 bodies have been recovered.
The ongoing floods have severely damaged the country's electricity supply system. Approximately 1 million consumers have been left without electricity due to this flood. A large number of consumers under both Rural Electrification Board and PDB have been deprived of electricity. Due to extensive damage to various machinery and infrastructure of the electricity system, there has been a financial loss of about 85 million taka.
Farida Akhtar, Advisor on Fisheries and Livestock, said that there has been a loss of 2 billion taka to fisheries and livestock due to the floods. Due to the influx of water from Tripura, India, and several days of heavy rain, 104,729 families in 11 districts of the country have been stranded due to floods. On Sunday (August 25) afternoon, Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Kamrul Hasan revealed this information in a press briefing.

## Reaction
### Internal

The Left Democratic Alliance leaders have accused India of violating international law by opening dams without prior warning. According to international law, an upstream country is supposed to inform a downstream country 72 hours before opening the gates of a dam. However, this time, the Dumbura and Kalsi dams were opened without any prior notice. The Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Pranay Kumar Verma, informed that the Dumbura dam in India opened automatically, not intentionally. He made this statement in a meeting with the interim government's chief advisor Muhammad Yunus, on the afternoon of August 22. BNP Standing Committee member Hafizuddin Ahmed claimed that India, by unjustly constructing dams on common rivers, has obstructed the natural flow of water. This, he argues, is the reason why people in the country are suffering from floods.

### International

* China has provided a US$20,000 grant to assist those affected by the ongoing floods in Bangladesh. Yesterday, Sunday, the Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka, Yao Wen, handed over the grant check during a courtesy call on Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the principal advisor to the interim government, at the State Guest House Jamuna. The ambassador said that the Chinese Red Cross will also provide US$100,000 in humanitarian assistance to the flood-affected people in Bangladesh.
* The Ministry of External Affairs issued a press release stating that the flood situation in Bangladesh was not caused by the release of water from Indian dams on the Gomati River in Tripura. On 21 August, Zee 24 Ghanta, an Indian news channel, published a news report about the sudden floods in several districts of Bangladesh. The headline read, 'India releases water! Bangladesh is drowning with a desperate plea...' This headline sparked widespread criticism on social media. Later, the media outlet changed the headline to, 'India releases water, Bangladesh is flooded.
* Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep concern over the loss of life and destruction caused by the floods in Bangladesh and expressed his condolences to the victims and solidarity with Bangladesh.
* President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed his sorrow for the disaster in Bangladesh and noted that Turkey would stand by the Bangladeshi people. Erdoğan said Turkey would provide humanitarian aid to the flood-stricken people.