Heavy monsoon rains drench Rohingya sites in Bangladesh

An estimated 350mm of rain fell in 72 hours in early July, and more heavy downpours are expected throughout coming weeks, with four months of the monsoon season left. According to preliminary reports, there have been 26 landslides.

Emergency Response Teams mobilised for aid

Refugee volunteers trained by UNHCR and partners worked throughout preceding night in heavy rain to help families in urgent need. In some cases, this involved rescuing refugees from shelters destroyed by landslides. We have temporarily relocated 2,137 people as their shelters have suffered substantial damage or as a precaution.

Our network of Emergency Response Teams has been mobilised to identify and prioritise the needs of the most vulnerable for assistance. As an immediate response, pre-positioned emergency supplies are being distributed to help rebuild, repair and strengthen damaged shelters.

In support of the humanitarian response led by the Bangladeshi authorities, UNHCR and partners, including WFP and IOM, made preparedness for the monsoon season a priority, including building retaining structures on hillsides, installing drainage, and building roads and bridges. Reservoirs have also been constructed to hold monsoon rains and stabilise water supplies.

70% of fundings are still needed

We remain on high alert, ready to deploy additional Emergency Response Teams to support our network of refugee volunteers and partners as needed.

The 2019 Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis in Bangladesh has received only a third (US$301 million) of the US$920 million that is needed.

Your support is urgently needed to help refugees in Bangladesh. Let’s strengthen our solidarity by showing them real support.

About UNHCR:

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was established on 14 December 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee issues. It strives to ensure that everyone has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another state, with the option to voluntarily return home when conditions are conducive for return, integrate locally or resettle to a third country. UNHCR has twice won the Nobel Peace Prize, in 1954 for its ground-breaking work in helping the refugees of Europe, and in 1981 for its worldwide assistance to refugees.