Floods affect 16 million in Nepal, India and Bangladesh

 A humanitarian crisis is unfolding across large areas in South Asia, with more than 16 million people affected by monsoon floods in Nepal, Bangladesh and India.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, IFRC, says it is becoming one of the worst regional humanitarian crises in years.

There are growing concerns about food shortages and disease. In Nepal, many areas remain cut off after the most recent destructive floods and landslides, on 11th and 12th August. Villages and communities are stranded without food, water and electricity.

Martin Faller, IFRC's deputy regional director, said more than a third of Bangladesh and Nepal were flooded, while about 11 million people across four northern Indian states were also affected.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced. "This is fast becoming one of the most serious humanitarian crises this region has seen in many years, and urgent action is needed to meet the growing needs of millions of people affected by these devastating floods," Mr. Faller said in a statement.

"Millions of people across Nepal, Bangladesh and India face severe food shortages and disease caused by polluted flood waters," he concluded.

[Image caption: Medical officials of the Jhargaon Public Health Centre travel in a boat to a medical camp in flood-affected Morigaon district in India's northeastern Assam state on August 18, 2017. At least 221 people have died and more than 1.5 million have been displaced by monsoon floods across India, Nepal and Bangladesh, officials have said.

Source: Wam