Floods devastate communities in South Asia

Millions of people are wading through water and trying to salvage what they can from their homes as monsoon rains have flooded large swaths of land in India and Bangladesh. News agencies across Bangladesh said millions are marooned and without electricity. The junior minister for disaster and relief in Bangladesh said about 100,000 people have been evacuated from the worst places in the country, while more than 200,000 people are in relief camps in India.

How are relief efforts going? Many of the major roads in both countries are flooded, making it difficult to get food and water into the worst-hit areas. The chief minister of the state in India most affected by the flooding said they are using military helicopters to airlift food and fuel to trapped people. Some small, short-term flooding happens in both countries every year and helps crops grow, but this flood is the worst in almost 20 years. The Bangladesh Flood Forecasting and Warning Center said Sunday the water was receding in some areas, but it will likely rise to dangerous levels in more northern parts of the country.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s report in World Tour on the cyclone that tore through India last year.