Rohingya crisis update: the rains have arrived
| Posted on: | Thursday, 9th August, 2018 |
Rohingya refugees, who fled violence in Myanmar to seek safety in Bangladesh, face a new threat as the monsoon season brings heavy rains, leading to dangerous landslides and flash floods.
More than 200,000 people are living in makeshift shelters which will not withstand the extreme rain and heavy wind. The conditions in the camps remain severe and there are now concerns of buildings collapsing and the threat of waterborne disease from contaminated water. Communication to and inside the camp has been severely disrupted too.
CBM’s long-term partner, Bangladesh’s Centre for Disability in Development (CDD), have been providing urgent health care, counselling and safe spaces to some of the most vulnerable men, women and children, many of whom have lost everything.
Around 100 patients per day have been receiving health care at our medical camp. But our teams are having to battle intense conditions, to continue providing vital services to those most in need. It has become extremely challenging to reach vulnerable people and return from the main camp. Bamboo bridges leading to the camp were washed away and roads have turned into muddy paths and streams, causing dangerous conditions for people who need urgent treatment, particularly those with disabilities.
Despite these challenges, CBM is continuing its efforts to keep services running for those most in need and have now started work to repair buildings, strengthen shelters, source clean water and create better access routes, as well provide some services in safer areas of the camp.
Ms. Wahida Ahmed, CBM’s Humanitarian Disaster Response Coordinator in Bangladesh, said:
“Our healthcare services have continued to be functional despite heavy rains. But if heavy rains continues, then the chances of occurrence of landslide and soil erosion are very high. We may not be able to protect our service centre and the Child Friendly Space that has already tilted towards the lake. Where will these patients go for their treatment. The priority is to reconstruct and repair both the facilities with strong materials so that not only the two facilities continue to provide services in a safe environment but can also serve as temporary shelters for at risk population.”