At least 25 people have been killed in natural disasters in Bangladesh this weekend. Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated, authorities of the Asian country report to AFP news agency† More than four million people would need urgent help.
According to the local police, many people who were struck by lightning were among the fatalities. This is especially true for people who live in rural areas. The army has been deployed to provide emergency aid to villages in these areas, which have been cut off from the outside world by the natural disaster.
The low-lying areas in Bangladesh, in particular, suffer from monsoon flooding every year between June and August, but this year is said to have experienced extreme rainfall. A large part of the country is now without electricity and schools and sports halls are being set up as reception centers.
Floods in India too
Floods and landslides have also killed people in northeastern neighboring India this week. In the remote state of Meghalaya, 16 people have died since Thursday and nearly two million residents in Assam state are in urgent need of emergency aid, regional authorities have reported.
Bangladesh and the border region in India were also hit by heavy rains in May. At least ten people were killed in the flooding. More rain is expected in the near future.