2024 India-Bangladesh floods

Heavy rainfall during the 2024 monsoon season resulted in severe flooding and landslides across several regions of India and Bangladesh. Rainfall in June caused significant flooding in Eastern Bangladesh and Assam State in India.^[1]

Events

Bangladesh

June 18–19 Sylhet floods

Flooding from prolonged heavy rains on 18–19 June inundated the Haor region in Northeastern Bangladesh, with Sylhet experiencing 242 mm of rainfall, and the Sunamganj district experiencing 223 mm, exceeding the monthly average for both.^[2]

The resulting flash floods and landslides affected at least 2.1 million people throughout Bangladesh, requiring nearly 30,000 people to evacuate to shelter centers. In Northeast Bangladesh, several displaced families were observed wandering for shelter. Nearly 75% of the area of Sylhet District was flooded, which included 23 Sylhet city wards as well as 1,548 villages in thirteen administrative divisions, affecting over 825,000 people directly. In Sunamganj District, flooding affected at least 560,000 people.^[1] UNICEF reports stated that 772,000 children, were affected by flash flooding in Bangladesh's Northeastern regions.^[3] European Commission reports claimed that at least 15 people killed from landslides and 51,000 people displaced. It also noted that over half of the farmland and paddy fields in the Sylhet District were submerged.^[2]

From 18 to 19 June 2024, heavy rainfall struck multiple refugee camps located in Cox's Bazar in Southeastern Bangladesh, causing widespread flooding and at least 773 landslide incidents. At least 10 people died, seven of whom were Rohingya refugees, while nearly 8,000 people across 1,200 different shelters in 33 refugee camps were also affected.^[1]

India

Heavy rainfall and flooding in June 2024 severely impacted Assam State in India, causing Assam's yearly rain-related death toll to rise to 39 deaths and inundating at least 1,325 villages in 19 districts, exacerbated by several rivers such as the Kopili, Barak, and Kushiyara overflowing. At least 400,000 people were impacted and 14,000 displaced, with the Karimganj, Darrang and Tamulpur districts being the worst hit.^[4] The toll rose to 48 deaths across Assam and Manipur on 4 July.^[5]

From mid-June to July, at least 16 people were killed in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh from heavy rainfalls that impacted over 1.1 million people. Over 300,000 people were displaced due to their homes being submerged from the heavy rainfall. Over 13 rivers were flowing above their "danger level", including the Brahmaputra River, putting over 2,000 island villages at risk of flooding. Overflowing of the river caused thirteen fishermen who were stranded for four days on an island in the river in the Dibrugarh district to need rescue. In Arunachal Pradesh, several roads were destroyed by landfalls, stranding many villages and requiring army troops to rescue 70 students and teachers out of a flooded school located in Changlang district. In addition, the Assam Rifles rescued 500 stranded civilians from other flooded areas.^[6]

Severe flooding also occurred in Sikkim, Manipur, and Meghalaya, with intense river flow destroying roads and bridges. The flooding and landslides added to the total count of more than 80 people in six Northeastern Indian states who died since the beginning of June.^[6]

References