Key Immediate Needs and Preliminary Impact Assessment: North Eastern Flash Flood, May 2022 Bangladesh

 

The northeast part of Bangladesh experienced a flash flood that started on the week of 15 May 2022. The intensity of the flood increased on 18 May 2022 as the major river ‘Surma’ and ‘Kusiara’ started to overflown 140 cm above the danger level. Alongside that, heavy rainfall in that areas and northeastern Indian states was the main cause of this flood. The Sylhet meteorically meteorological department stated that the continuous rain was an effect of Cyclone Asani. It has taken effect among 4 million people across five districts - Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Netrokona, and Maulvibazar, while Sylhet and Sunamganj were affected severely. In this flood, around 418,546 people were exposed to inundation, as projected by the EU’s Copernicus Emergency Management Services (CEMS). It is also estimated that over 1.5 million (40%) children were at risk of waterborne diseases, drowning, and malnutrition due to extensive flood water. Their woes coupled with 150,000 families in Sylhet and Sunamganj had been living without power for a few days since 17 May 2022. Also, most of these areas were affected by the April 2022 early flash flood. Notably, many areas of Sylhet city including the Shahjalal Upashahar, Misimpur, Sobhanighat, Teroratan, Kalighat, Chhararpar, Sheikhghat, Kazirbazar, Taltola, Kushighat, Mendibag, etc. went underwater and due to poor drainage facilities, in some areas water got clogged and spread odor now.

Agricultural lands have been reported to inundate which damaged major cash crop of Boro, Aus and Aman. Hectares of summer vegetable, nuts and fruits land were also damaged. Daily life has been severely disrupted due to inundated tube wells and toilets. Many affected people, took shelter outside, mostly at schools and relatives’ houses as there was damage to their family shelters. The assessment has identified the need for repairing and maintenance support for family shelter as a priority needs in 11 assessed unions (out of 224). Besides, a significant number of affected people are now without access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, which increases the chance of communicable disease outbreaks. Likewise, in the last 9 days (18-26 May 2022), National Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) and Control Room have recorded a total of 469 Cases (349 from Acute Watery Diarrhoea, 32 from Skin Diseases, 14 from ARI, 10 from Lightning, 09 near to drowning and 55 from others).

Furthermore, the preliminary assessment indicates that 21 unions in Sylhet (representing 20% of assessed unions) and 12 unions in Sunamganj (15% of assessed unions) reported that over 40% of the population are displaced due to the flooding. This displacement, alongside other factors of the affected population, has affected population contributed to many areas such as child protection, nutrition, gender-based violence, health, education, and livelihood-related issues. Out of 733,506-hectare agriculture land, 17,760 Hectare crops are affected by the flood. Sunamgonj is an IPC level 4 district and previously affected by the April 2022 early flash flood.

The GoB has mobilized resources to support affected communities. Assistance consists of – cash grants, rice, dry food packages, water-purification tablet and disinfection of tube-wells, preparation of flood shelters, and mobile medical teams. In addition to it, different non-government agencies provided and has planned to provide support to the affected communities with cooked food, multipurpose cash grants, safe drinking water and jerry can, and hygiene parcels. Additionally, a coordinated humanitarian response will be needed to supplement these efforts, primarily to ensure that the most vulnerable communities receive targeted humanitarian assistance. Analysis of this assessment looked at identifying risks of vulnerable populations due to their geographical and socio-economic conditions. Also, the responses provided by different NGOs are mostly from internal funding mechanisms. Apart from START Fund Bangladesh, any institutional donors have yet to respond.

A medium to longer-term (06 to 12 months) early recovery and reconstruction effort will be needed to repair of damaged houses, embankments, roads, sources of safe drinking water, sanitation facilities. Restoration of livelihood with specific support to farmers who got affected by the flood should prioritized.

The survey findings show most of the flood-affected communities are facing a scarcity of basic services and experiencing distress in terms of physical, social, and emotional aspects. The distress-driven needs are ranked as Key Immediate Needs (KIN) which were prioritized according to their ranked value. Based on this prioritization from the survey regarding the of immediate needs of the basic key services, the following related sectors were prioritized according to Sphere Handbook: WASH (drinking water supply), Food Security & Livelihood (food package – rice, lentils, oil, etc.), Shelter (repair and maintenance of shelter), cash grant (as livelihood) and health. These overall losses will disproportionately impact on women, children, especially girls, children, and other vulnerable groups.

Besides, using a composite index (contextualizing INFORM Risk Index) the composite impact vulnerability and response capacity analyzed to top ten (10) priority geographic areas (upazilas) have been identified, which are (according priority order) – Zakiganj, Dowarabazar, Gowainghat, Chhatak, Jaintapur, Companiganj, ShantiganjDakshin Sunamganj, Dakshin Surma, Kalmakanda, and Bishwambarpur.

Notably, many areas of Sylhet city including the Shahjalal Upashahar, Misimpur, Sobhanighat, Teroratan, Kalighat, Chhararpar, Sheikhghat, Kazirbazar, Taltola, Kushighat, Mendibag, etc. went underwater. Due to poor drainage facilities, in some areas water got clogged and spread odor now. This has added a new dimension to the flood’s impact on the city dwellers.

Notably, the floodwater has already receded or has been receding from the affected areas, however, it dented the lives and livelihood of the people. It has also been predicted that this year’s monsoon will arrive earlier than usual, which may contribute to the woes of the people’s suffering. Long-term impact on the livelihood and food security of people is predicted. Key Findings

The flash flood hit five districts of northeast Bangladesh, among which Sylhet and Sunamganj took severe impact. In many flood-affected areas, the water has already receded, however, it stained its marks in many ways. Several situation reports were shared by Government, non-Government and these assessment findings showed the overall impacts of the flash flood on people’s lives and livelihoods. About 4 million people had been affected by this flood, among which 1.5 million (40%) were children. Besides, the EU’s CEMS estimated that around 418,546 were exposed to inundations. The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) informs those 17,760 hectares of cropland including summer vegetation are affected by this flood. In addition, approximately 1,096 tube wells and 3,875 sanitation facilities were fully damaged.

The survey findings show most of the flood-affected communities are facing hunger, scarcity of basic services and experiencing distress in terms of physical, social, and emotional aspects. The distress-driven needs are ranked as Key Immediate Needs (KIN) which were prioritized according to their ranked value. Based on this prioritization from the survey regarding the immediate needs of the basic key services, their related sectors were prioritized according to Sphere Handbook: WASH (drinking water supply), Food Security & Livelihood (food package – rice, lentils, oil, etc.), shelter (repair and maintenance of shelter) and health. These overall losses will disproportionately impact on women,

girls, children, and other vulnerable groups. Besides, based on the contextualized INFORM Risk Index) the composite impact vulnerability and response capacity analyzed, the top ten priority geographic areas (upazilas) are (in priority order)– Zakiganj, Dowarabazar, Gowainghat, Chhatak, Jaintapur, Companiganj, Shantiganj, Dakshin Surma, Kalmakanda, and Bishwambarpur. This assessment indicates that –

 77.6% Household reported that household food storage has been destroyed due to the flood. Access to food is already an issue due to economic loss, loss of production and price hike and around 75.4% of people has adopted negative coping strategy. Around 69% reported difficulty in cooking food.

 Overall, 48.2% and 54.4% respondents reported loss of livestock and fisheries respectively (More than 20%). Alongside it, livestock and poultry feed scarcity is reported, and availability and cost are becoming an issue.

 Around 50% of the assessed unions highlighted concern regarding the privacy of the affected people of whom 40% are children who are more vulnerable than adults and at a higher risk of violence and abuse.

 In Sylhet and Sunamganj, more children are being affected by this flood, compared to Netrokona, and it is associated with the intensity of the flood.

 The education services overall disrupted in the three affected districts by 75% (Netrokona district 11%, Sunamganj district 94%, and Sylhet district 82%), and school dropouts increased by 5% in the three districts (11% in Netrokona district, Sunamganj 72% and Sylhet 51% respectively).

 59.8% and 46.7% of respondents in Sunamganj and Sylhet respectively viewed the impact of floods on households will drive the cause of early marriage in families.

 In Sylhet 36.2% of respondents in Sylhet view gender-based violence as a potential cause of mental distress among the affected population, and the response rate for the same is around 41.5% in Sunamganj.

 In total 13 % of assessed unions, most of the houses (more than 60%) in the respective unions have been damaged either fully or partially.

 In the affected areas, 80% of the surveyed union reports to have disrupted water supply.

 Sylhet and Sunamganj housed the most displaced population compared to Netrakona. In terms of displacement, in Sylhet 21 unions (representing 20% of assessed unions) are facing significant displacement, with over 40% of the population currently displaced.

 Malnutrition: by this time HEOC (Control Room) has recorded a total of 349 Acute Watery Diarrhoea cases and it will continue to increase the number of cases which will lead to malnutrition. Although there is no age segregated data, experience says children are the most diarrheal affected age group in this country due to flood.

The overall findings depict that the affected community needs support on key immediate needs as well as medium/long-term support. It is also essential that the support must be gender, protection, and inclusion integrated. Key Recommendations

The flood brings sufferings, as well as disruptions to people’s lives and livelihood. The key recommendations are –

 Further detailed disaggregated data collection including overall sectoral coverages such as detailed market assessment to update and understand the extent of damage and to identify long-term durable solutions.

 Immediate WASH and food assistance to ensure household of safe drinking waters and safe from different water-borne and communicable diseases.

 Multi-Purpose Cash Grant to ensure that the affected community have adequate access to essential food and non-food items.

 Immediate assistance to restore the damaged shelters and WASH facilities through providing cash assistance along with provision of technical support for finding out durable solution.

 All the supports must be gender, protection, and inclusion integrated.

 Close monitoring of nutritional status of affected population especially under-five children, pregnant and lactating women.

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