Heavy rain and flash floods in Bangladesh kill at least 50
At least 51 people have died and more than a million people have been affected by heavy rains in Bangladesh in recent days.
Thousands of people lost their homes in floods and landslides that occurred in a large part of the country, including the capital Dhaka.
More than half of the deaths so far have occurred in Cox’s Bazar, which is home to a large Rohingya refugee population. Last week, many students and a teacher lost their lives as flood waters swept away schools in that region.
Bangladesh is a low-lying country with many rivers and is frequently subjected to heavy rain and floods during the annual monsoon season. But experts warn that climate change is making rainfall more intense and more frequent.
Heavy rain began more than a week ago and as it has intensified in recent days, authorities have issued flood and landslide warnings, evacuated families in high-risk areas and postponed student exams.
Thousands of people are currently living in government shelters.
According to authorities, more than 1 million people were affected by the rain as of Sunday.
Of the 51 deaths reported so far, 28 occurred in Cox’s Bazar. The region is home to more than one million Rohingya, who form the world’s largest refugee settlement.
