Bangladesh (MNN) ― As floods continued to spread havoc throughout Bangladesh, many of the inundated areas reported acute shortages of food, and a rising threat of water-borne diseases.
Millions of people are homeless or cut off in their villages because of this season's heavy monsoon rains and flooding. It is likely that this situation will worsen through August as monsoon rains continue to pelt northern Bangladesh and flood major rivers.
The government released a report that says the floodwaters left over nine million people marooned in 38 districts. The damaging storms caused substantial damage to both life, infrastructure and standing crops.
Food For the Hungry's Ben Homan calls the situation 'extremely urgent'. "Food For the Hungry has close to 200 workers that wake each day in Bangladesh serving those communities. We have the capacity to respond, but we don't have the supplies at hand unless we have people that can assist with this."
Some aid is already being distributed. FH aid teams have already given out 10-day food supplies including rice, potatoes, lentils, salt and cooking oil. In addition, their relief workers are providing for health needs and combating water-borne diseases by distributing oral saline, water purification tablets, soap and medicine.
Homan says their relief response provides ministry. "This is a tremendous opportunity for people to experience the power of God's rescuing in a physical sense, and that can communicate, along with the compassionate prayerful conversation that accompanies a heartfelt response. It becomes very powerful in this kind of situation."
