Death toll from floods in Bangladesh rises to 217

Death toll from floods in Bangladesh rose to 217 on Saturday amid the deaths caused by the novel coronavirus in the south Asian country, said health officials.

Of the total deaths, 182 drowned while 19 died of snakebites and 13 in thunderstorms, and three from other diseases, according to the health emergency operation center serving under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Meanwhile, around 47,000 people have been infected with water-borne disease, including some 2,000 fresh infections as the country faces one of the worst floods in its history.

Around 16,200 people in flood-hit areas are also suffering from diarrhea with one dead, it added.

Heavy rains in the neighboring Indian state of Assam also added to huge inflows into downstream Bangladesh. Monsoon rains usually hit Bangladesh from June to September.

The Bangladesh Water Development Board, however, said the flood situation in Bangladesh has improved as the Ganges basin remained almost stable for days.

The Flood Forecasting Warning Centre on Saturday said that the flood situations are improving; among the total 30 river points in the Ganges basin, levels receded 18 points while went up 11 points and remained stable at one point.

Meanwhile, over two million people are in need of food assistance, water, sanitation, hygiene and emergency shelter, and some 850,000 remain displaced, a figure expected to increase as rains continue, read a recent statement by the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh after a total grant of €3.45 million ($4 million) for three South Asian countries, including Bangladesh.

On the other hand, fatalities from the COVID-19 pandemic reached 3,625 in Bangladesh with 34 new casualties and a total of 275,000 infections, including 2,644 fresh cases. The recovery rate from the disease has risen to 57.42%.