Recent floods in Bangladesh, particularly in Feni, Cumilla, and Noakhali, have highlighted the need for immediate assistance. In these critical times, proper coordination and understanding of the local challenges are essential to deliver targeted assistance in flood-stricken regions. This article highlights the critical insights volunteers must possess to manage relief distribution and rescue operations during floods efficiently. Essential Relief Supplies for Flood-Affected People Readymade Foods In flood conditions, where water levels can be chest-high, the immediate priority is saving lives. Cooking facilities may be inaccessible, making cooked or readymade foods crucial. Substitute rice, lentils, oil, and sugar with items like puffed rice, flattened rice, dates, bread, and boiled potatoes. Packaged foods such as biscuits, nuts, oat bars, and cakes can provide long-lasting energy. If feasible, khichuri would be better. Safe Drinking Water and Water Purification Tablets Access to clean drinking water is critically limited during floods. Carry bottled water or water-purifying tablets and alum to enable individuals to purify water themselves, particularly benefiting those who are housebound. Baby Food and Clothing Children of all ages are at high risk during floods. Provide baby food in addition to general supplies, including powdered milk, rice cereal, semolina, juice, packets of soup, and chips. Additionally, dry clothes and diapers are essential to protect against wet and cold conditions, preventing health complications. Read more: How to Avoid Electric or Gas-related Accidents during Flood Medicines and Medical Equipment Stock essential medicines for waterborne diseases, skin conditions, high blood pressure, cold, fever, cough, and headache. Saline is crucial for treating diarrhea. Equip with first aid supplies, including bandages and antiseptic solutions for wound care. Repellents for Snakes, Mosquitoes, and Insects Floods often bring increased risks of snake bites and insect infestations. Marigold flowers, wormwood, garlic, clove oil, and vinegar can be used to deter snakes. Mosquito coils, sprays, skin lotions, and insect-repellent devices should also be included. Safety instructions for these items must be followed, as sprays can be harmful to newborns and coils may pose fire risks. Clothing for Wet Conditions Prolonged exposure to rain and flood waters can lead to discomfort and illness. The supply list includes dry clothes, umbrellas, and raincoats. Life jackets and sanitary pads are necessary for safety and health. Waterproof bags or plastic zippers are essential for protecting documents and electronics. Read more: How to Stay Safe from Snakes During and After Flood Cleaning Supplies To combat diseases caused by polluted water and humidity, the supplies include soap, detergent, dishwashing powder, and disinfectants like Bheem Bar for sanitation. Battery-Powered Torchlight Power outages during floods make battery-powered torches essential for safety after dark. Using candles or lamps should be avoided due to the risk of gas leaks, which can lead to fire hazards. Food for Cattle and Stray Animals Many flood victims rely on livestock for their livelihood. The food encompasses husks, salt, and hay. Additionally, stray dogs and cats, which face significant hardships during floods, should also be provided with food and care.

Kentucky’s governor said it could take weeks to find all the victims of flash flooding that killed at least 16 people when heavy rains turned streams into torrents that swamped towns across Appalachia. More rainstorms were forecast to roll through in coming days, keeping the region on edge as rescue crews struggled to get into hard-hit areas that include some of the poorest places in America. The rain let up early Friday after some areas of eastern Kentucky received between 8 and 10 1/2 inches (20-27 centimeters) over 48 hours. But some waterways were not expected to crest until Saturday and Gov. Andy Beshear warned the death toll could rise sharply. “From everything we’ve seen, we may be updating the count of how many we lost for the next several weeks,” Gov. Andy Beshear said. “In some of these areas, it’s hard to know exactly how many people were there.” Patricia Colombo, 63, of Hazard, Kentucky, got stranded after her car stalled in floodwaters on a state highway. Colombo began to panic when water started rushing in. Her phone was dead, but she saw a helicopter overhead and waved it down. The helicopter crew radioed a team on the ground that pulled her safely from her car. Colombo stayed the night at her fiance’s home in Jackson and they took turns sleeping, repeatedly checking the water with flashlights to see if it was rising. Colombo lost her car but said others had it worse in a region where poverty is endemic. “Many of these people cannot recover out here. They have homes that are half underwater, they’ve lost everything,” she said. It’s the latest in a string of catastrophic deluges that have hammered parts of the U.S. this summer, including St. Louis earlier this week and again on Friday. Scientists warn climate change is making weather disasters more common. As rainfall pounded Appalachia this week, water poured down hillsides and into valleys and hollows where it swelled creeks and streams coursing through small towns. The torrent engulfed homes and businesses and trashed vehicles. Mudslides marooned some people on steep slopes. Rescue teams backed by the National Guard used helicopters and boats to search for the missing. Beshear said Friday that at least six children were among the victims and that the total number of lives lost could more than double as rescue teams reach more areas. Among those who died were four children from the same family in Knott County, Coroner Corey Watson said Friday. President Joe Biden said in a social media post that he spoke with Beshear on Friday to offer the federal government’s support. Biden also declared a federal disaster to direct relief money to more than a dozen Kentucky counties. The flooding extended into western Virginia and southern West Virginia. Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency for six counties in West Virginia where the flooding downed trees, power outages and blocked roads. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin also made an emergency declaration, enabling officials to mobilize resources across the flooded southwest of the state. More than 20,000 utility customers in Kentucky and almost 6,100 in Virginia remained without power late Friday, poweroutage.us reported. Extreme rain events have become more common as climate change bakes the planet and alters weather patterns, according to scientists. That’s a growing challenge for officials during disasters, because models used to predict storm impacts are in part based on past events and can’t keep up with increasingly devastating flash floods and heat waves like those that have recently hit the Pacific Northwest and southern Plains. “It’s a battle of extremes going on right now in the United States,” said University of Oklahoma meteorologist Jason Furtado. “These are things we expect to happen because of climate change. ... A warmer atmosphere holds more water vapor and that means you can produce increased heavy rainfall.” The deluge came two days after record rains around St. Louis dropped more than 12 inches (31 centimeters) and killed at least two people. Last month, heavy rain on mountain snow in Yellowstone National Park triggered historic flooding and the evacuation of more than 10,000 people. In both instances, the rain flooding far exceeded what forecasters predicted. Also read: Flooding in central Appalachia kills at least 8 in Kentucky The floodwaters raging through Appalachia were so swift that some people trapped in their homes couldn’t be immediately reached, said Floyd County Judge-Executive Robbie Williams. Just to the west in hard-hit Perry County, authorities said some people remained unaccounted for and almost everyone in the area had suffered some sort of damage. “We’ve still got a lot of searching to do,” said Jerry Stacy, the emergency management director in Perry County. More than 330 people have sought shelter, Beshear said. And with property damage so extensive, the governor opened an online portal for donations to the victims. Beshear predicted that would take more than a year to fully rebuild. The governor got a look at the flooding Friday aboard a helicopter. “Hundreds of homes, the ballfields, the parks, businesses under more water than I think any of us have ever seen in that area,” the governor said. “Absolutely impassable in numerous spots. Just devastating.” Portions of at least 28 state roads in Kentucky were blocked due to flooding or mudslides, Beshear said. Rescue crews in Virginia and West Virginia worked to reach people where roads weren’t passable.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday alleged that the government is indulging in the celebration of the Padma Bridge inauguration by keeping the lakhs of flood victims in the country’s northeastern region hungry. “Our people are starving and not getting treatment in the flood-affected areas, but they (govt) are occupied with Padma Bridge inauguration festival,” he said. The BNP leader made the remarks while distributing relief materials on the premises of Khazar Mokam High School in Sylhet’s Jaintiapur Upazila among the flood-affected people. Also read: BNP turns down invitation to join Padma Bridge opening programme Fakhrul claimed that the government allocated only Tk 60 lakh for 30 lakh flood victims in the Sylhet region while hundreds of crores of taka are being spent on the inauguration programme of the Padma Bridge. He also said the government is arranging amusement programmes for the inauguration on Saturday while people are dying amid lack of food and relief materials in the flood-hit areas “People are being washed away by the floods, not getting food and treatment. But the government has no attention to it. Around Tk 9 crores have been spent on making 90 toilets at Mawa for the opening programme of the bridge. If the money was given to the flood victims of Sylhet then people would not suffer so much,” the BNP leader observed. Fakhrul together with BNP standing committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku reached Sylhet from Dhaka by road at noon to witness the flood situation and distribute relief materials among the affected people. Also read: Flood victims left in the lurch: Fakhrul They also offered ziarat at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) before visiting the flood-hit areas. Stating that people in Sylhet and Sunamganj are crying for relief materials to survive, the BNP leader said the government has failed to stand by the flood-hit people. “While lakhs of people are crying out for relief, the Prime Minister has completed her duty by providing relief to a few only.” Fakhrul recalled that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia during her government in 2004 walked door-to-door and ensured relief materials at people’s doorsteps. “But the current Prime Minister visited the flood-hit area by helicopter." “The ruling party is not standing beside the flood victims in this difficult time. Even, the Prime Minister arrived in Sylhet by helicopter and had a meeting at the Circuit House with senior officials and ministers and MPs. She only gave seven people seven packets as eyewash during her visit,” he said. The BNP leader said the ruling party MPs are also not going to the flood victims as they are not elected with their votes. “In fact, Awami League has no relation with people.” He alleged that Awami League taking mega projects for corruption and plundering, but it does not take any project for the welfare of the country's people. The BNP leader said the government has snatched people's voting and other rights by 'usurping' power. He said their party will not join any other election if it is not held under a non-party neutral government.  “Just like a fox can’t be given the charge of taking care of a chicken, Sheikh Hasina can’t be given the responsibility for holding an election under her.” Fakhrul said BNP leaders and activists to get ready for waging a movement to resist the current regime and restore people’s voting rights.

The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has adopted a plan of Tk54 crore to carry out relief operations in the flood-hit Sylhet region. It requested the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and all Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners for that support. Among the relief activities, food and livelihood support, water and sanitation and shelter repair assistance are some key areas. Md Nur-Ur-Rahman, acting chairman of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, said: "At the moment, relief items are being provided in the flood shelters. Bangladesh Red Crescent Society is also working to provide cash assistance to the families most affected by the floods." Also read:UK allocates over Tk 5 crore to support Bangladesh’s flood victims More than 500 volunteers of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society are working to help the flood-hit people in the Sylhet region. Teams of the Bangladesh Red Crescent are helping to evacuate flood-hit people to safe shelters and distribute dry and cooked food and clean drinking water in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and other affected districts. The Society, with the support of the IFRC, already distributed 75,000 litres of safe drinking water. In addition, dry food to more than 6,000 people, 1,665 jerrycans and 1,000 hygiene parcels were distributed. Free primary medical care services were provided to flood victims through four medical camps. To help the flood victims, 15,000 water purification tablets, 7,200 packets of dry food, 1,200 jerrycans, 1,000 dignity kits, 500 hygiene parcels and 50 life jackets were sent. A safe drinking water supply was started in Sylhet and Sunamganj through three mobile water purification units, allowing the Red Crescent to distribute 20,000 litres of drinking water each day.

BNP on Wednesday alleged that the government is occupied with the Padma Bridge inauguration festival, leaving lakhs of flood-affected people in the country’s northeast areas in the lurch. “The people of a vast area of Bangladesh are going through a miserable time amid severe floods. Many people and their houses, cattle and valuables were washed away by the floodwaters,” said party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Read: Govt invites BNP to join Padma Bridge inaugural programme Speaking at a discussion, he also said the sufferings of the flood-hit people know no bound for the shortage of food, medicines and relief materials. “It’s unfortunate that the government is engaged with the inauguration festival of the Padma Bridge instead of paying attention to easing people’s sufferings, rescuing the affected people and ensuring adequate relief materials for them,” the BNP leader observed. Zia Smriti Pathagar arranged the discussion-cum book exhibition programme at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office. Fakhrul said the current ‘usurper’ government has been indulging in ‘corruption’ in the name of development and siphoning off money abroad. “On the one hand, the growing prices of commodities, on the other hand, the current floods have made people's lives miserable,” the BNP leader observed. He also alleged that the government has turned Bangladesh into a failed state by destroying all the state institutions through politicisation. The BNP leader called upon people of all walks of life to get united to ‘restore’ democracy and establish a pro-people government by ousting the Awami League regime through a strong movement. Fakhrul urged the BNP leaders and activists to take steps to present the life, work, honesty and ideology of Ziaur Rahman before the new generation through publications and publicity. He also advised the party leaders and activists to acquire knowledge and read books on different issues as it is the only way for advancement. Read: Flood victims cry for relief amid govt’s inaction: BNP The BNP leader alleged that the ruling Awami League has long been carrying out different negative campaigns to belittle former president Ziaur Rahman and his contributions to the country’s Liberation War and the nation in a planned way. “They (AL) are writing different books and carrying out propaganda in many ways against him as Ziaur Rahman was not only a soldier and a president but also the proclaimer of the country’s independence,” he added.

Slamming the ruling party leaders for not visiting the flood-affected areas, BNP on Tuesday decided to collect money from common people to help the flood-marooned people in the northeast region. The party will start the fundraising activities on June 23 (Thursday) by distributing leaflets at different wards in the capital. Also read: Flood victims cry for relief amid govt’s inaction: BNP Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, a BNP standing committee member and also the convener of the party’s relief committee, came up with the announcement at a meeting with BNP’s Dhaka north city unit at its chairperson's Gulshan office. "We’ve decided to distribute leaflets among people first from the June 23 begging for money from them…the next day we'll go to them again and collect whatever money they give. Later, we’ll send the money to the flood victims,” he said. As a party of mass people, Tuku said they want to involve more than a crore people in helping the flood victims instead of taking donations from some rich people. He said BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has already instructed the party leaders and activists to stand by the flood-hit people. The BNP leader said the flood will not end easily as new areas are getting inundated caused by on rush of water from the upstream. “Some areas of Sirajganj, Gaibandha, Bogura and Jamalpur have been submerged by floodwaters. So, I think this is a long-term work.”  Tuku said they have taken a comprehensive plan to help the flood-affected people in three phases—saving human lives, rescuing people trapped in water and bringing them to a safer place and providing them with food, providing treatment and other support when different diseases will break out with receding water and finally rehabilitating the victims. He alleged that the ruling party leaders and MPs are not standing beside the flood victims as they do not need people’s vote to stay in power. Also read:Cancel Padma Bridge grand opening; instead stand by flood victims, BNP urges govt “They hold the day’s voting at night and thus come to power and continue plundering. That’s why Bangladeshis have now a major share of money in the Swiss banks. The looters of Awami League siphoned off Tk76,000 crore from Bangladesh in a year,” the BNP leader said. He said Awami League’s main objective is to stay in power, exploit people and plunder public money. Tuku said BNP actively took part in relief activities during all floods and natural disasters in the previous years. “BNP is also standing beside the flood-hit people wholeheartedly this time. Our party acting chairman has instructed us to stop all organisational activities as standing beside people is the most important organisational work now.”

A 45-year-old man who sustained injuries while collecting relief thrown from a helicopter of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) in Tahipur upazila in Sunamganj on Monday died at a hospital in Sylhet on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Biplab Mia, son of Shahid Ali of Tahirpur upazila. Matiur Rahman Moti, former member of Tahirpur union, said BAF members distributed relief materials among the flood victims from a helicopter at Sheikh Russel Mini Stadium at Tahirpur upazila headquarters on Monday. Six people including Biplab suffered injuries while they were scrambling for the relief materials. The injured were taken to Tahirpur Upazila Health Complex.  Read: Flood situation worsens in Kurigram, over 2 lakh affected Of the injured, Biplab, father of two sons and two daughters, was shifted to Ragib Rabeya Medical College on Monday night where he succumbed to his injures around 9 am on Tuesday.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said her government will provide all necessary assistance, including food medicines and seeds, to the flood-affected people in the north, urging them not to worry.At the same time, she urged the authorities concerned to take necessary preparations to face any possible crisis as flood waters rolling from the north are now likely to hit the middle and southern parts of the country.The premier was addressing a view exchange meeting with public representatives, high officials of the government, political leaders and officials of the local administration at Sylhet Circuit House. Read: Flood situation worsens in Sylhet She held the meeting after inspecting from a helicopter the ravages wreaked by the early monsoon deluge in the districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona. She flew low to get a better view of the condition of the marooned people and the damages caused by the floods. PM Hasina firmly said that her government has taken all necessary steps to face the current flood situation in the entire Sylhet region as well as other parts of the country.This is the third consecutive time that Sylhet region is experiencing floods, she said adding that the government is doing its part accordingly to face the situation.

BNP senior joint secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday alleged that the flood-affected people in the country’s northeast region, mainly hoar areas, are crying for relief amid the government’s inaction to mitigate their miseries. Speaking at a token sit-in programme, he also blamed the government’s unplanned construction of dams and a road in the haor region for the severe flood in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona. “The hoar people of Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona are crying for rice and food. Where will they get food as everything around them has been submerged? How will the food reach them? ” the BNP leader asked. He bemoaned that government has allocated only Tk1.5 for each of the 50 lakh flood-hit people of the country while Indian artist Mimi Chakraborty was brought to Bangladesh at the cost Tk three crore. Read: BNP demands declaring flood-hit areas as disaster zones Stating the government is responsible for the flood, Rizvi said, “You (PM) will now see the Padma Bridge in the colourful light and hang onto power with joy in your heart keeping people hungry, starving and inundated. The country’s people will no longer accept and tolerate it.” Ganatantra Forum arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and adequate relief for the flood-affected people. Rizvi questioned whether the prime minister tried to know standing in front of a mirror the reason behind the untimely flood in the haor region. “We know that relatives of one of the influential officials of the state built dams and a road, known as the President’s one, in an unplanned way in the haor areas.” For this unplanned construction of the dams and roads, he said 50-60 lakh people have now been stranded in floodwaters. Read: Cancel Padma Bridge grand opening; instead stand by flood victims, BNP urges govt "The whole of Sylhet and Sunamganj have gone under water, but you (Prime Minister) are overwhelmed with the joy over the Padma Bridge. You are joking with people about Padma Bridge,” he observed. Rizvi also criticised the government for its move to shut down stores and shopping malls after 8 pm since it has long been claiming to have the capacity of providing an uninterrupted electricity supply. “Why are you ordering to close shops and malls after 8 pm? Where did your uninterrupted power go? ” He said the government takes every move and makes laws and rules only to ensure the benefit of the ruling party leaders and create scope for them to make money.

Huawei Technologies (Bangladesh) Limited on Sunday arranged an online meeting to extend a helping hand to the flood victims at Khaliajuri in Netrokona.