Millions displaced in Bangladesh as monsoon floods continue amid coronavirus worries

Sirajdikhan, Bangladesh: Severe flooding continued in parts of Bangladesh on Tuesday, August 4, with millions displaced. In the Sirajdikhan district, about 40 km (25 miles) from capital Dhaka, many houses near the Dhaleshwari river back have been washed away due to rising water levels and erosion of the bank, leaving occupants with piles of rubble.

"The entire country is now facing the flooding problem. Our Islampur village is also flooded, but in our village, the most noticeable thing is that about 30 houses were washed away by the river erosion. Many are facing problems. We demand help (from the government) for these affected people and we need shelter for these families immediately."said local village leader Mohammad Ashraf Ali.

The annual rainy season brought more misery with at least 135 people killed in Bangladesh since late June in the longest-running floods there in more than two decades. In flood-prone Bangladesh  where almost one-third of the impoverished nation is underwater- officials warned of an extended disaster in one of the worst deluges in recent years.

The annual monsoon is critical for replenishing water supplies, but also wreaks havoc across vast swathes of the densely populated region, causing widespread death and damage. Most people have died from drowning, officials said, with almost three million people hit by the natural disaster through flooded homes and inundated communities.