Floodwaters have trapped hundreds of thousands in India's northeast and Bangladesh's eastern region, leading to at least 15 deaths as rescuers battle to reach those in need, officials and media reported Thursday.
In India's northeastern Tripura state, which borders Bangladesh, floods and mudslides have killed at least 11 people and displaced thousands since Wednesday.
Meanwhile, four additional fatalities have been reported in Bangladesh, where shared rivers exacerbate the crisis.
India's Meteorological Department issued a red alert in Tripura on Wednesday, prompting authorities to announce a two-day closure of schools after heavy rains inundated several regions, including the state's capital, Agartala.
Authorities have opened more than 300 relief camps in Tripura, where the number of people relocating to the camps is estimated to be in the thousands.
Of the 11 deaths since the rains intensified Monday, seven were due to drowning or being washed away, while four were buried by mudslides.
"We are closely monitoring the situation and are focusing on providing relief to those displaced from their homes,” Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said.
In Bangladesh, a pregnant woman died after falling into raging waters at Akhaura in Brahmanbaria district, according to the Bengali-language Kal Bela newspaper. Three other people died from drowning and electrocution, the report said.
The rains and rising waters from upstream Tripura have devastated many areas in eastern Bangladesh.
Residents in the worst-hit districts, such as Cumilla, Feni and Noakhali, have called for rescue as power has been cut and road links disconnected.
Travel and communication have been severed between the capital, Dhaka, and the southeastern port city of Chattogram, with parts of a major highway submerged.
The Bangladesh Flood Forecasting and Warning Center said Thursday that water levels in many rivers in the nation's eastern, northeastern, and southeastern regions continue to rise.
About a dozen volunteers who rushed to the scene with boats and speedboats told The Associated Press by phone that they were struggling to reach many affected people due to communication failures, as victims’ mobile numbers could not be reached. Many areas are without electricity, the government said.
"We are sheltering in a house where about 35 people need to be rescued soon. The water is still rising, and now we are on the rooftop with our small kids and elderly family members,” Sonia Akter, a mother of a 2-year-old girl, told AP by phone from Feni. "Please send us a boat. Please save us.”
The military and other authorities have started rescue operations in the region.
While both neighbors have been affected by the floods, many Bangladeshis have blamed India for the flash floods, alleging that India opened a river dam in Tripura, causing sudden floods in Bangladesh. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has denied these claims.
Monsoon rains in South Asian nations India and Bangladesh typically begin in June.
The countries share 54 common rivers that flow from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, and there is ongoing contention over the sharing of these waters.
