# 1998 Bangladesh flood

The 1998 Bangladesh flood occurred during the severe monsoon season, which began in July and continued until September. Heavy rainfall in the upstream catchment areas of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna River caused water levels in these rivers to rise rapidly, resulting in widespread flooding across the country. It is considered one of the largest floods in the modern history of the country. The flood affected 30 million people across the country, and resulted in 1,050 fatalities, with 360 of those attributed to drowning, snake bites (mainly from cobras), and waterborne diseases.

## Background

The flood originated from the major rivers flowing into the Jamuna, (the lower stream of the Brahmaputra River), Meghna, Padma, and Ganges basins, following continuous rainfall that began in June and lasted until September. It reportedly affected 32–45 out of a total of 64 districts, including Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

## Damage

The 1998 Bangladesh flood caused extensive damage, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in the history of Bangladesh. As per the official statistics compiled by ActionAid, and the initial reports by The Guardian, approximately 25 million people were displaced, while 10,50 individuals died. It also impacted livestock, with over 26,000 cattle reported dead.
Agriculture, the main source of Bangladesh's economy, suffered loss, with 800,000 hectares of farmland affected and 575,000 hectares of crops completely destroyed. This led to severe food shortages and long-term economic crises for farmers. Infrastructure also suffered loss; around 16,000 kilometers of roads and 6,552 bridges were damaged, disrupting communication and transportation across the country. It also affected 1,052 schools.
The flood aftermath caused a public health crisis, with 251,981 cases of diarrhea reported due to contaminated water and poor sanitation. The flood affected 300,000 tube wells.

## Response

   It's better to die in the floods than live in such a squalor.
Following the 1998 Bangladesh flood, the government of Bangladesh, in collaboration with local authorities, worked to provide emergency relief, including food, clean water, and medical supplies. In Dhaka, tensions escalated at shelters such as the Central Women's University, where displaced persons expressed frustration over the inadequate conditions. As one displaced person, Nurul Islam, accused the local administration for the lack of adequate response citing, "It's better to die in the floods than live in such a squalor".
The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (ICDDR,B) in Dhaka reported an average of 700 patients per day, the majority of whom were children. The WHO declared a medical emergency, with over 4,000 local health teams deployed across the country to manage the crisis. Despite these attempts, 245,000 people were affected by contaminated water and inadequate food.
The government announced plans to distribute free seeds and agricultural supplies, but damage to roads and infrastructure disrupted the distribution of relief materials. Initial reports suggested that the authorities restored 80,000 wells to functionality and 1,500 new wells installed in flood shelters.
The government of Bangladesh procured over 350,000 tonnes of cereals from neighboring countries, while over 1 million tonnes of food aid were pledged by international donors. The United Nations coordinated food shipments, with the first consignment of 15,000 tonnes of food reaching Chittagong shortly after the flood.
The British government contributed £21 million to relief, and major international charities, including the British Red Cross, Oxfam, and Christian Aid, launched fundraising campaigns to support recovery response in the affected areas.