Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / SOUTH ASIA
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Monday, 20 September, 2004, 11:04 GMT 12:04 UK

UN warns of deaths in Bangladesh

Children in Bangladesh Bangladeshi children and women face acute malnutrition after devastating floods, the UN has warned.

The UN said that without intervention, the number of malnourished children in areas affected by floods could rise to one million within six to eight weeks.

"We are taking immediate steps," a UN Children's Fund (Unicef) official said.

In July, Bangladesh experienced its worst floods for six years, which left 600 people dead. The country was hit by another deluge of rain in September.

'Many may die'

Unicef spokeswoman Harriet Torleffe said that 15% of children up to five years old had been affected by the floods, which had left them in a "terrible position".

BANGLADESH FLOODS

  • 30m displaced or made homeless this year
  • More than 100,000 affected by water borne diseases
  • Estimated to have cost around $7bn worth of damage
  • At least 700 killed

    In an interview with the BBC Bengali service, she warned that unless the government and the international community took action over the next two months, the number of children severely affected could approach one million.

    "If action is not taken immediately, many will die," she said.

    Both Unicef and the World Food Programme (WFP) have warned almost from the outset of the flooding that the period after the water recedes is the most dangerous.

    That is when younger people in particular are more susceptible to waterborne diseases and when parents go without food because crops have been washed away.

    More malnutrition

    More than 100,000 people were affected by waterborne diseases in the aftermath of July's floods.

    The government estimated they caused around $7bn of damage.

    The UN says that poor sanitation and loss of family income have also contributed to increase the level of malnutrition among children.

    The WFP and Unicef say they are working together to make sure nutritional supplements and extra food reach young children and breastfeeding or pregnant women.

    The UN has described this year's floods as a "quiet disaster".



    E-mail this to a friend
    Related to this story:
    Poor response to flood aid appeal (07 Sep 04  |  South Asia )
    UN to launch Bangladesh appeal (28 Jul 04  |  South Asia )
    Dhaka floods prompt sewage fears (26 Jul 04  |  South Asia )
    Bangladesh prays for floods to ease (23 Jul 04  |  South Asia )
    Why Bangladesh floods are so bad (27 Jul 04  |  South Asia )
    In pictures: South Asia's flood battle (20 Jul 04  |  )

    RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
    Bangladesh government
    UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)
    World Food Programme (WFP)
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



    SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

    News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |

    NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

    ^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©