At least 19 individuals have lost their lives due to the devastating floods caused by South Asia’s annual monsoon. The incessant rainfall over the past week has forced thousands of people in India to seek shelter.
Floods during the monsoon season are a common occurrence and result in widespread destruction. However, experts argue that climate change is leading to more frequent, intense, and unpredictable flooding.
The death toll from flooding and landslides in Nepal last weekend has risen to 14, with over two dozen individuals still missing, according to officials.
Dhruba Bahadur Khadka, a spokesman for Nepal’s national disaster authority, stated that search and rescue teams are actively working on the ground to locate missing individuals.
In India’s remote Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh, four individuals lost their lives in flooding and landslides near the Chinese border, as confirmed by the local disaster management authorities on Thursday.
Authorities in the neighboring state of Assam reported one death due to floodwaters, with over 1,300 villages inundated. Approximately 14,000 people have been relocated to emergency shelters in Assam.
Bangladesh is also on high alert as forecasters have warned of potential floods in the northern districts bordering India. Around 20,000 families have already been affected by flooding in the low-lying areas of Kurigram district.
Mohammad Rezaul Karin, the district administrator, expressed concern about the rising water levels in major rivers and the possibility of the situation worsening if the upstream flow increases.
The Asian Summer Monsoon, a massive sea breeze, is responsible for 70-80 percent of South Asia’s annual rainfall between June and September. This rainfall is crucial for agriculture and the livelihoods of millions of farmers, supporting food security for a population of approximately two billion people. However, it also brings destruction in the form of landslides and floods every year.
A 2021 study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) suggests that the monsoon is becoming stronger and more erratic compared to the mid-20th century. Last year, catastrophic monsoon floods submerged one-third of Pakistan, resulting in significant damage to homes and claiming over 1,700 lives.
In the same year, Bangladesh experienced record flooding that killed over 100 people and affected seven million individuals, requiring months of relief efforts.
© 2023 AFP
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19 dead, thousands seek shelter in South Asia monsoon floods (2023, June 23) retrieved 23 June 2023 from https://phys.org/news/2023-06-dead-thousands-south-asia-monsoon.html
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