Death toll at 73 in Bangladesh floods

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) – The death toll from floods in Bangladesh rose to 73 with five people killed in the last 24 hours, officials said Friday.

The disaster in parts of the country is deteriorating due to the onrush from upstream in India.

Forty-nine fatalities were reported from drowning while the rest died in flood-related cases, including lightning strikes, snake bites, diarrhea, skin diseases and landslides.

Millions are still inundated and stranded in remote areas as they wait with children and the elderly for relief items.

Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet, Md. Mojibur Rahman, told Anadolu Agency that the government has allocated ample relief items for affected people. But due to the communication disruption, some stranded in the remote areas could not be reached.

He said officials could not reach distant areas due to the depth of floodwaters and a complete disruption of communication.

The worst flood in the 100 years in the country’s northeastern region has improved slightly in parts but is still deteriorating in others.

The River Barak, a major river in India, has flown through the states of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam and entered Bangladesh from the northeastern border.

To date, the worsening floods have affected 13 districts in Bangladesh, marooning huge croplands and affecting life for millions of people — many of whom experienced another massive flood last month.