Sunday 06 / October / 2024
New Delhi: Massive floods have swept through swathes of India, Nepal and Bangladesh in recent days, killing scores of people and affecting millions of others.
Large-scale rescue operations are under way, with authorities directing thousands to shelters while sending food and supplies to those who are stranded.
Major rivers including the Brahmaputra and the Koshi, which flow through several countries, have overflowed their banks due to heavy rains, BBC news reported.
Floods and landslides are not uncommon during South Asia's monsoon season, when it receives up to 90% of its annual rainfall.
But experts say the issue has worsened in recent years due to climate change.
Over the weekend in Nepal, authorities said 14 people had died since last Thursday, with key highways blocked and some bridges swept away by swollen rivers.
Authorities estimate that this year's monsoon has killed more than 40 people so far. They have urged residents in the south-east of the country to be on alert as the Koshi river, which flows through Nepal and India, is flowing above the danger level.
In the Indian state of Assam, about 2.4 million have been affected by floods while 66 people have died since mid-May. Officials have warned of even more rains with water levels in the Brahmaputra expected to increase in the coming days.
Roads and vast areas of farmland have been submerged along the banks of the Brahmaputra, which flows through parts of India and Bangladesh, and other rivers.
In Bangladesh, authorities said two million people have been affected by floods with at least eight people dead.
The overflowing Brahmaputra has inundated a quarter of the districts in the country.
The UN's World Meteorological Organisation is predicting "above normal" rainfall for the South Asia monsoon season that is expected to last until September.
