Responding to flash Floods in Bangladesh
In August 2023, Chattogram Division experienced persistent heavy rainfall over a one-week period, resulting in a significant flash flood incident and leaving a trail of destruction across Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban and Rangamati districts.
The floods impacted lives and livelihoods on an alarming scale; approximately 1.2 million people were adversely affected, at least 51 lives were lost due to drowning, snakebites, and landslides and key infrastructure (such as road networks, power supply and mobile communication systems) was severely disrupted. Homes, livelihoods, valuable assets, sanitation facilities, and crops were washed away leaving 600,000 people in critical need of emergency assistance, but only 28% of those affected received immediate life-saving support.
Askehave Climate Foundation, under its humanitarian programme, has supported BRAC to implement a ‘Flash Floods Response Project’ with the aim of restoring food security and family shelters of most vulnerable households (HHs). The project provided cash support to 5000 HHs for immediate food and essential needs, as well as repairing/reconstructing severely damaged family shelters of 200 HHs.
Meet the people affected by the flash flood
Bangladesh faces frequent and extreme weather events and is one of the most disaster prone countries in the world. It is important to sometimes put names to the statistics, to understand the resilience and communal support that the country can mobilise in times of adversity.
All stories and photos are shared with the consent of the people affected.
Hasina Akter is the sole provider for her two children, one of which suffers from physical disability. With an inadequate income of BDT 2000 from working in the neighbourhood, life is an uphill battle. The struggle reached a new height in August 2023 when flash floods destroyed her home.
With the support of shelter construction material from the programme, and the support of her community, Hasina has been able to rebuild her home into a resilient structure. Hasina’s story is not just about rebuilding a house; it’s a narrative of courage and community solidarity. As the sole breadwinner, Hasina’s daily struggles have been alleviated by the newfound safety of her home. No longer does she worry about leaving her children alone, especially her son, in an unsafe environment.
Lee Euo Marma, a single mum with a disabled daughter, makes a living crafting local rice cakes and noodles to sustain herself and her child. In 2023, when the flash flood hit Bandarban, Lee had to flee her house with her daughter. A neighbour supported. Lee, facing the rising waters and heightened landslide risks, sought refuge at a neighbour’s house, but again they had to seek higher ground. Lee almost lost her child during that journey.
Lee Marma explains said, “I was walking towards the city with my neighbours. I tied my daughter on my chest with a blanket. When a massive landslide occurred on our way, people were requesting me to handover my daughter to them so that they could safely take her to shelter but I did not listen to them. Rather I told them that if I die, my daughter will also go with me because she has no one to take care of her and I cannot leave her behind.”
As the waters receded, Lee returned to her home, only to find it destroyed by the relentless floods. It was amidst this devastation that BRAC’s Chattogram Flash Flood Emergency Response Project extended a lifeline to Lee. Selected as a project participant, she received the much-needed support to rebuild her home. The assistance transformed Lee’s life, providing a secure haven where she could live with dignity as a single mother.
Mostafa, aged 53, has carved out a livelihood through agriculture on leased land. However, as time has passed, Mostafa has begun to weaken, rendering him incapable of sustaining his agricultural activities. So, he has started selling puffed rice with a loan from a neighbour. When the flash flood hit in 2023, Mostafa and his wife endured three traumatic days, sustained only by the generosity of the local administration’s food aid.
However, upon returning home, they were greeted by a scene of utter devastation. The floodwaters had spared nothing, not even a trace of their house remained. At this difficult times, Mustafa’s wife fell victim to a severe accident, requiring urgent hospitalization. The money gathered with the help of the community for rebuilding their home were swiftly depleted in her treatment, leaving Mostafa grappling with the dual burdens of caring for his sick wife and reconstructing their house. BRAC “Chattogram Flash Flood Emergency Response Project” selected Mostafa as a project participant and with the assistance provided, he found himself sheltered beneath a roof once more, spared from the indignity of homelessness.
Banshi Sheel (65) has lived in Bandarban Sadar Upazila of Bandarban District for 14 years. He lost his wife and a daughter in the landslide in 2023 when the flash flood occurred. Due to excessive rainfall in the area resulted in a massive landslide over his house as he lives in the foot of the hill.
A total 6 people used to live in the house which was destroyed by landslide. For 14 years, Banshi Sheel had never experienced such a catastrophe. In the aftermath of the landslide, the fire service unit swiftly responded, braving the flooded roads to reach Banshi Sheel’s ravaged home. He also lost 14 goats and 2 cows. Banshi and his other family members who survived took shelter in a relative’s house as their home had been destroyed.
BRAC selected Banshi Sheel as a participant of the project “Chattogram Flash Flood Emergency Response Project” where he received materials to build and repair his home. He also received some money as aid from his locality worth BDT 20k. With the money and the materials, he managed to rebuild his house. Now he is living in his new house with the other family members and trying to cope with the grief of losing his wife and daughter.
Umepru Marma, is a 35-year-old carpenter residing in Ujanipara village alongside her husband and two children. Having relocated to Ujanipara in February 2023 from the remote Lemu Jhiri, Umepru and her family were unprepared for the intensity of the floodwaters, especially given their proximity to the Sangu River. Witnessing the rising waters, they hurriedly moved their valuable belongings to the higher ground, seeking refuge in a nearby school building as their home was inundated.
Six long days passed in the shelter of the school, and upon their return, the Marma family was met with the harsh reality of a wooden structure with no floor. She and her family somehow managed to repair her house with what they had. Umepru, a participant in the emergency response efforts, received BDT 5500 in cash support from BRAC. This lifeline proved to be ray of hope, as she faced the daunting task of providing for her family’s immediate needs. She used the cash to buy food for her family.
As Umepru Marma describes it, “When we had nothing but our attire to wear, we didn’t even know what we were going to eat the next day, then we found a light in the darkness after getting the cash support from BRAC”.
Ume Nue Marma lives in Godarpar Union in Bandarban Sadar Upazila in Bandarban district. She is a home tutor and also a day labourer, but despite working two jobs, income is not sufficient for the four family members. During the flash floods in 2023, she was not at all aware of the flood coming. She stayed at her home during the flood and didn’t go to shelter. Only when her house was halfway submerged, then she rushed to the nearly shelter “Shishu Poribar”. Ume stayed there for four days and returned to a shattered house. As she could not work as a day labourer during the flood, she had no money to buy food for her family.
In this crucial time, BRAC selected her as a participant of Chattogram Flash Flood Emergency Response Project funded by Askehave Climate Foundation. As a participant, she received BDT 5500 as cash support. With the money she managed to buy groceries for her family to last the next two weeks. She also bought medicines for her father who was ill.
This blog was created in close collaboration with BRACs team in Bangladesh.
