| Bangladesh : Effects of the 2004 Floods (July to September 2004) | |
| Demographic | |
| Over 800 people killed. 7 million families affected. 35 million people affected. 900,000 houses destroyed. 2 million people in temporary shelters. 100,000 people displaced from the capital city Dhaka. About 60% of Bangladesh is under water, and millions are homeless. | |
| Social Effects | |
The UN Country Team (UNCT) has
identified urgent needs in the sectors of food, agriculture,
health, nutrition, water, sanitation, family
shelter, education, protection, economic recovery and
infrastructure, and coordination and information management over the
next six months.
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| 20 million families needed emergency relief. Infrastructure blockages meant relief could not get to remoter rural areas. International Aid essential Bangladesh could not cope alone. People needed emergency food supplies. | |
With
sanitation disrupted sewage contaminated fresh water supplies. Disease outbreaks occurred in the
aftermath of the flooding. In Dhaka a relief centre received 1000 patients a day suffering
from water-borne diseases like diarrhea, cholera, typhoid and
scabies which were spreading rapidly.
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1225 Schools
were destroyed. Another 25000 were closed with 5000 used as
emergency shelters for homeless people.
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| Economic Effects | |
It estimates the damage so far at £140 million.
Nearly 500,000 tonnes of rice has
been ruined in the fields.
More than 2,000,000 acres of
agricultural land have been submerged and countless crops ruined.
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Damage costs are
higher in urban areas like Dhaka – with damaged
shops and factories having high repair bills. Damage
is put at $7bn.
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| Rescue attempts and relief efforts cost millions which the country can ill afford as it is one of the world's 10 poorest nations.. | |
The combined losses to assets and
output amounted to at least $2.3 billion or 3.9% of gross domestic
product.
with heavy
losses to agricultural and industrial output
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Floods are costing the garments
sector around $3m a day - this is one of the key industries in
cities like Dhaka.
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The garment factories directly
employ two million people and garments account for nearly 80% of all
export earnings.
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| GeogOnline '06 | |