The United Nations (UN) has allocated $4 million from its Central Emergency Response Fund to aid Bangladesh, which is grappling with severe flooding that has devastated large parts of the country.
The funds aim to bolster ongoing response efforts to the crisis that has affected nearly 6 million people since late last month.
Joyce Msuya, the acting UN emergency relief coordinator, announced the allocation, noting that the funds will support both immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts.
This move comes as the UN’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, emphasized the gravity of the situation in daily briefings.
The floods displaced approximately 500,000 individuals, who sought refuge in over 3,400 evacuation shelters.
The flooding has also led to the closure of more than 7,000 schools, disrupting the education of about 1.7 million students.
Additionally, the floods have caused significant economic damage, with losses in livestock and fisheries estimated at $156 million, according to Xinhua news agency.
Dujarric stated, “We, along with our humanitarian partners, are mobilized to support the government-led flood response and assist local efforts to aid the most vulnerable communities impacted by these floods.”
Bangladesh has experienced four major climate-related disasters this year alone, including Cyclone Remal and the current catastrophic floods.
These events have affected nearly 13 million people across approximately 30% of the country’s land area, underscoring the severe impact of climate change on the region.
