A Correspondent:
Sylhet: Devastating floods, triggered by heavy rainfall and onrush water from hilly regions, have affect-ed 20 lakh people in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, according to a statement of UNICEF.
The statement, signed by Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh, read among 20 lakh flood affected people in two northeastern regions – Sylhet and Sunamganj – 7.72 lakh are children.
The UNICEF called for emergency assistances for flood-hit children as they (children) are the venerable segment of the population in case of any natural disaster.
Sheldon Yett said, “When flood waters are in rising trend, unsecured condition has created for children. They face different problems including drowning, malnutrition and various water-borne diseases.”
The UNICEF in cooperation with of Bangladesh government and other organization working at field level have distributed safe drinking water among one lakh flood-hit people in Sylhet and Sunamganj to reduce their suffering.
Alongside distribution of drinking water, the UNICEF also distributed over 10 litre capacity 3000 water pots for the people in food-hit regions.
According to the UNICEF statement, 810 primary schools in Sylhet Division have been submerged by flood water while 500 primary schools are used as shelter centre for flood-affected people. As many as 140 community clinics have been damaged by flood waters in the Sylhet region, it added.
