Date: Fri, 21 Jul 95 12:45:30 EDT
From: incident@vita.org (Disaster Information Administrator)
To: event@vita.org
Subject: Bangladesh: Floods DHA-09
BANGLADESH-FLOODS
INFORMATION REPORT NO.9
21 JULY 1995
SITUATION
1. THE OVERALL SITUATION IN THE FLOODED AREA AROUND THE
BRAHMAPUTRA BASIN (FROM CHILMARI TO ARICHA) IS IMPROVING. HOWEVER,
THE BRAHMAPUTRA STILL CONTINUES TO FLOW ABOVE THE DANGER LEVEL AT
ARICHA.
2. IN THE GANGES BASIN, THE RIVERS ARE RISING STEADILY AT ALL
POINTS AS EXPECTED AND CONTINUES TO FLOW ABOVE DANGER LEVEL AT
GOALUNDO AND BHAGYAKUL. AREAS DOWNSTREAM FROM GOALUNDO TO MADARIPUR
HAVE BEEN INUNDATED AND ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN SO FOR THE NEXT FEW
DAYS.
3. IN THE LOWER PART OF THE MEGHNA BASIN, AREAS IN COMILLA,
BRAHMANBARIA, NARSINGDI, MUNSHIGANJ, NARAYANGANJ AND LOW LYING
AREAS OF DHAKA WERE INUNDATED. THE SITUATION HAS STARTED TO
IMPROVE; HOWEVER, LOW LYING AREAS AROUND DHAKA AND NARAYANGANJ ARE
EXPECTED TO REMAIN INUNDATED FOR QUITE SOME TIME AS THE WATER
NORMALLY RECEDES AT A SLOWER PACE.
4. IT HAS BEEN PROJECTED BY THE BANGLADESH METEOROLOGICAL
DEPARTMENT THAT THE NORTH-WESTERN PART OF THE GREATER RAJSHAHI
DIVISION IS TO EXPERIENCE HEAVY RAINFALLS DURING THE FIRST TWO
WEEKS OF AUGUST. NORMAL MONSOON IS EXPECTED IN THE BRAHMAPUTRA
BASIN IN THE NEXT 2-3 WEEKS. THE GOVERNMENT PREDICTED THAT THE
BRAHMAPUTRA IS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE ANOTHER PEAK AT BAHADURABAD
DURING THE SECOND WEEK OF AUGUST. THIS IS LIKELY TO LEAD TO A
SYNCHRONIZATION WITH HIGH RIVER LEVELS IN THE GANGES FOR SHORT
DURATION.
NATIONAL RESPONSE
5. PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE THE
FARMERS WITH SEEDLINGS FREE OF COST AND HOUSE BUILDING GRANTS TO
FLOOD HIT POOR PEOPLE. GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO TAKE STEPS TO REPAIR
THE DAMAGED TUBEWELLS AND EMBANKMENTS THROUGHOUT THE STRUCK AREAS.
RELIEF GOODS WERE DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE AFFECTED PEOPLE.
6. RELIEF OPERATIONS IN DAMAGED AREAS ARE STILL CONTINUING
UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE MINISTRY OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND RELIEF
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BANGLADESH RED CRESCENT SOCIETY. NGOS HAVE
ALSO GEARED UP THEIR RELIEF ACTIVITIES IN THE AFFECTED AREAS.
7. THE ASSOCIATION FOR DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES (ADAB) CONVENED A
MEETING TO REVIEW THE SITUATION. IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE EXTENT OF
FLOODING AND FLOOD DAMAGE HAS LED TO THE WORST SITUATION IN THE
LAST SEVERAL YEARS. ADAB AND THE NGO REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT AT THE
MEETING REQUESTED DONORS TO COME FORWARD AND ASSIST NGOS IN THEIR
RELIEF AND REHABILITATION EFFORT.
8. IN VIEW OF THIS SITUATION, A LARGER DONOR COORDINATION
MEETING WILL BE HELD ON 25 JULY TO APPRAISE DONORS OF THE OVERALL
SITUATION AS WELL AS THE PROGNOSIS FOR THE REST OF THE VULNERABLE
PERIOD OF THE MONSOON SEASON TILL THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
9. AS YET, NO REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE
GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVED. DHA/UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE
CONTINUES TO MONITOR SITUATION.
TELEPHONE NO. +41-22-917-1234
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY: TELEPHONE NO. +41-22-917-2010
DESK OFFICER: MR. Y. FUKASAWA, DIRECT TELEPHONE NO.
+41-22-917-3131
PRESS TO CONTACT: MS. M. MOULIN-ACEVEDO, DIRECT TEL.
+41-22--917-2856
TELEX: 414242 DHA CH
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