Rescue teams are urgently working to evacuate communities inundated by severe flooding in parts of Bangladesh and northeast India. The heavy rains have claimed at least 36 lives, causing rivers on both sides of the border to surge to dangerous levels.
In Bangladesh, nearly 4.5 million people have been affected, with many homes submerged and residents stranded on rooftops, according to the country’s Disaster Management Ministry. So far, 13 people have lost their lives, and around 200,000 have been evacuated, said Md Kamrul Hasan, a senior official at the ministry.
In India’s northeastern state of Tripura, which borders Bangladesh, the floods have claimed 23 lives, with more than 64,000 people seeking refuge in relief camps, according to India’s National Disaster Response Force and the state’s emergency operations center.
Heavy monsoon rains, coupled with mudslides, have devastated parts of South Asia in recent months, displacing millions and damaging infrastructure. While floods are common in the region during this season, experts believe the climate crisis has intensified these extreme weather events, making them more lethal.
Recent rainfall has been especially heavy, with parts of Tripura and eastern Bangladesh receiving up to 200 millimeters (about 8 inches), driving river levels dangerously high. Thirteen rivers in Bangladesh have exceeded their danger levels, as reported by the country’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre.
In the worst-hit areas, such as Feni district in southeast Bangladesh, rescue operations are underway to evacuate people from flooded homes. Army and navy personnel, assisted by volunteers, are using boats to bring stranded residents to safety, said Musammat Shahina Akter, a local official. More than 25,000 people are taking shelter in converted government buildings and schools.
One resident, 24-year-old Kazi Piash, described how he and 40 others, including his pregnant sister-in-law, sought refuge on the rooftops of their homes as floodwaters reached neck level. Videos show locals using canoes and swimming through muddy waters to save their belongings.
A flood protection embankment along the Gomati River in Bangladesh collapsed under the pressure of the rainfall, further complicating rescue efforts, said Lt. Commander M. Anwar Hossain of the Bangladesh Navy. Weak communication networks have made it difficult to coordinate relief operations.
Some residents near the Gomati River fear their homes will soon be submerged, with water levels just a few feet below the flood levee. Locals are trying to strengthen the barrier with bamboo, leaves, and sandbags, but concerns remain high.
Many in Bangladesh blame the flooding on India’s release of water from the Dumbur Dam on the Gomati River. Shariful Islam, a long-time resident, claimed the floodwaters came from India after the dam was opened. However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs denied the allegations, attributing the flooding to heavy rains. Officials explained that the dam is designed to release excess water automatically when levels rise beyond capacity.
Tripura’s Power Minister, Ratan Lal Nath, confirmed that no gates were manually opened on the Gomati Hydro Electric Project, and that water release is triggered automatically once storage capacity is exceeded. Despite this, residents on both sides of the border are grappling with the aftermath, as water levels remain at extreme danger levels and more rain is forecasted in the coming days.
(CNN)