Flood victims in need of relief

This year's floods have not engulfed the country in one mighty sweep but they have been of a staggered nature largely due to heavy rains with some gaps in between. Of course the country's north had to endure the onrush first and now the waters have been inundating the central parts of the country. Next the southern part will have to bear the brunt of the excess flow heading for the Bay of Bengal. It is this staggered nature of floods that has actually given the false impression that people are not badly affected. But the reality is that flood waters have wrought havoc in several places where people are in dire need of relief. Both the government and private organisations have largely remained indifferent to the sufferings of the flood victims. A picture of flood-affected people waiting for relief goods on a river bank in Sariakandi, Bogra published in this newspaper last Tuesday says it all.

Collective and coordinated efforts, once organised at various levels of society, for distribution of relief materials are simply missing. Why? In time of such emergencies, people everywhere on the globe require help and the administration - both local and central -come to their aid. When damage or devastation are extensive, even international communities respond favourably to help the victims overcome the ordeal. The apathy shown towards the sufferings of the flood victims this time is a cause for serious concern. True, people are not worse off mostly because rains are not continuous but people who have lost their homes and hearths to onrushing waters are without food and shelter. Under such trying conditions they cannot fend for themselves. A leader published earlier in this newspaper put emphasis on the need for flood preparedness. Such preparedness was not there this time and the administration has been caught off-guard. In the absence of hygienic foods and drinking water, people will be forced to eat and drink what they would not have eaten in normal times. This will increase their, particularly children's, vulnerability to a host of diseases.

Time is fast running out for the authorities. Once diseases break out, they have a chance of taking an epidemic form. So the administration must activate its disaster management agencies right now for immediate distribution of foods and water in the already affected areas. At the same time, it must get its acts together for the newly affected areas. The management of the crisis will be easier because floods are slowly advancing towards the south from the north. It is convenient to concentrate on one area at a time. When the medical teams will be mostly required in the country's north, the central and southern parts will be in need of relief goods. This staggering sweep of the floods has not made it all the more menacing but on the ultimate count, a large swathe of the country will suffer a heavy toll on account of it. Therefore, there is no scope for neglecting the issue of relief distribution and medical aid in the affected areas.