Bangladesh flood claims 359 lives

Dhaka, Aug 12 (UNI) A staggering 359 people have died in Bangladesh hit by devastating monsoon flood in past two weeks and diseases in the aftermath, officials said today.

The officials in the health and disaster management department said 320 people drowned, 21 died from snakebites and 11 died of diarrhoea that reportedly broke out in an alarming form.Eight fresh deaths were reported in the last 24 hours ending this morning.

With the floodwater receding from 38 districts, more than 43,000 people had been attacked by diarrhoea while many were suffering from skin diseases and respiratory problems due to lack of clean water.

As local media reported that diarrhoea broke out in epidemic form, the authorities deployed 2,991 medical teams, 200 more than a day before, to offer round-the-clock treatment to the patients.

Prof Moazzem Hossain, Director (Diseases Control) of the Health Directorate, told reporters that so far 11 people had died from diarrhoea, a water-borne bacteria complicated by lung disease.

Besides, he said some 6,711 people were suffering from "respiratory tract infection (RTI)''.

Official statistics said a total of 3,916 people were admitted to the government hospitals and specialized International Centre for Diarrhoea Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) in 24 hours ending last midnight.

Diarrhoea units were opened at all government hospitals to treat the patients expeditiously. Doctors did not, however, describe the outbreak of diarrhoea as "epidemic" saying that after flood, every year such situation occurred.

They added the water-borne bacteria, which cause dehydration in the patients, were affecting the adults comparatively more.

The hospitals had set up tents and arranged additional beds and appointed additional nurses and cleaners to cope with the exigencies.

Meanwhile, the World Food Program (WFP) had decided to soon start rationing 2,000 tons of rice initially among flood victims. "As we go along with the emergency responding to the need of flood victims, the WFP will be starting rice distribution after this week," WFP Resident Representative Douglas Broderick told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Advisor Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.

He said initially about 1,500 to 2,000 tons of rice would be distributed and ''hopefully, we will be able to increase that''.

Australia, Canada and Germany had already committed food aid for Bangladesh to be channelled through WFP.

Asked if WFP feared food shortage in the wake of loss of standing crops in floodwater, Broderick said, ''Obviously, we are quite concern and looking at the issue.'' According to official statistics, standing crops on about 12,00000 acres of land were completely or partially damaged by the current monsoon floods.

''It is an important concern for us and for the government of Bangladesh," the WFP representative said adding that they would look into total damage. Brodercik said WFP in cooperation with the Bangladesh government and their partners in the UN would do everything possible to enable the flood victims to get rehabilitated and return to normal life.

He assured that the WFP with the help of UNICEF and WHO would make out short-medium and long-term plans to help the victims with emergency relief and rehabilitation in the post-flood period.

WFP was now busy distributing 3,000 metric tons of high protein biscuits and life-saving foods among 2,00,000 families in need in shelter centers and embankments affected by the flood.

Foreign Advisor Chowdhury said the government would take all out steps so that the country did not face any food crisis as in the past.

UNI