A total of 31 people were killed in unprecedented floods caused by seasonal rains in parts of Bangladesh, a government report said on Wednesday.
According to the report by the National Disaster Response Coordination Center under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, 12 deaths were reported in Cumilla district, some 96 km east of the capital Dhaka.
The ongoing devastating floods have left 1.23 million people marooned in about a dozen southeastern and northeastern districts. Nearly 6 million people were affected by the sudden flash flood and water congestion in 11 out of the country’s total 64 districts, said the report.
In addition, over half a million people have taken shelter in 4,003 centres, according to the ministry, Xinhua news agency reported.
Bangladeshi interim government’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus urged all concerned to continue their efforts in rescuing stranded people, providing emergency healthcare and extending cooperation for the victims.
The authorities have sent teams of disaster response forces to carry out rescue operations, distribute relief materials and supervise centers where the flood-affected people have taken shelter.