India and Bangladesh Flooding Leaves Millions Homeless, More Than 60 Dead
CLIMATE CRISIS
Intense rains in India and Bangladesh have left millions homeless and washed away entire towns. During the flooding and landslides of the past few days, more than 60 people have died and many more have been left without food, drinking water, and internet access, according to officials. India’s northeast is one of the most hard-hit regions—in one state, Assam, officials report that 31 out of 33 districts have been affected by flooding. In the low-lying nation of Bangladesh, whose northeastern region is experiencing its worst flooding in almost two decades, the government closed more than 600 schools and universities indefinitely to use them as shelters. Roads have also been blocked by the flooding, hampering relief efforts. Both close to the warm Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal, India and Bangladesh are particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change as extreme weather events become more common in South Asia.