UN agency rushes food relief to thousands of flood-affected people in Bangladesh

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is ramping up relief efforts aimed at reaching tens of thousands of Bangladeshis stranded by a spate of flash floods which struck the South Asian country last week.

According to a WFP press release issued earlier this morning, the UN agency is now targeting over 150,000 people in the coastal village of Cox's Bazar and surrounding areas with over 100 metric tons of emergency food supplies transported by boat and truck.

Among the food assistance being distributed are vitamin and mineral-fortified high energy biscuits for the many rendered homeless by the flash floods and now vulnerable to food insecurity and worsening poverty.

“Flash floods and landslides made the distribution of food very challenging but even remote areas were reached within a matter of hours,” confirmed Christa Räder, the WFP Representative in Bangladesh.

A sudden onset of torrential rains last week unleashed widespread flash flooding across southern Bangladesh, affecting thousands of people in the region.

The country's Government has reported that some 120,000 people continue to remain stranded amid ongoing humanitarian efforts.