The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is rapidly focusing its food assistance on the Northern part of the country due to a second wave of flash flood over the last few days, said a press release.

Bangladesh is still reeling under the first wave of floods in July and August that affected over 10.6 million people.

Douglas Broderick, WFP Representative in Bangladesh, said, "WFP has already redirected its food assistance to the Northern part of the country and started planning to address the food and nutritional needs of the affected people, WFP and its partners has already sent their assessment teams to monitor the situation in close partnership with the Government"

Heavy monsoon rains in the upstream Indian areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya, upper West Bengal and Sikkim have caused renewed flooding in North-East Bangladesh.

Since flood began in mid July, WFP has distributed over 2858 metric tonnes of food assistance to 1.2 million people. A further 496,475 people are currently being given food assistance under the WFP's 4th round food distribution. WFP distributed over 15,000 metric tonnes of food to 4 million people, many of whom are living in flooded areas, through its development programmes.

Broderick said, "WFP is concerned about the recent localized flood situation that affects the flood security situation. WFP will continue to monitor the flood situation to ensure that the food assistance reaches the people most in need."

WFP emergency distribution is being funded by the generous donations from Australia (US dollar 1.3 million), Germany (US dollar 0.64 million), Spain (US dollar 0.64 million), CERF (US dollar 4 million) and Canada (US dollar 25,000).