DHAKA, June 29, 2024 (BSS) - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) are providing emergency assistance to communities affected by the severe flooding in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts in northeast Bangladesh.

Starting on June 27, WFP's Sylhet Field Office, in support of the relief efforts of government authorities, began distributing fortified biscuits to over 23,000 families to help them meet their immediate food and nutritional needs.

"Our priority is to ensure that the most vulnerable families, who were already facing hardships and are now having their lives and livelihoods upended again by the floods, can meet their essential food and nutritional needs," said Simone Parchment, Deputy Country Director and Officer-in-Charge of WFP Bangladesh.

The devastating floods, caused by continuous heavy rainfall in both Bangladesh and the upstream regions of India, have affected approximately 1.4 million people.

The distribution of food assistance was done in partnership with local NGOs Friends In Village Development Bangladesh (FIVDB) and Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS).

Following the distribution, WFP plans to continue its response through cash assistance for these 23,000 households and an additional 48,000 households that WFP has pre-identified as part of its preparedness efforts.