Heavy rains and floods in India and Bangladesh

 Heavy rains and floods in India and Bangladesh, Dozens killed and millions affected

Floods, landslides and lightning have killed at least 59 people during monsoon rains in India and Bangladesh.

The situation has affected millions of people and made it difficult for aid workers to reach the victims. The Meteorological Department has warned that the situation could worsen in the coming days due to flash floods.

Bangladeshi officials have called it the deadliest flooding in the country since 2004.

The incessant rains over the past week have severely affected the vast northeastern part of the country, where water from the mountains of neighboring India has added to the difficulties.

There, schools have been turned into temporary shelters, while troops have been deployed to rescue people trapped in homes. Many homes are under water due to rising water levels and citizens are facing shortage of basic amenities.

In the Indian state of Assam, more than 1.8 million people have been affected by torrential rains in five days. Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma told reporters that he had directed the district administration to provide "all necessary items and assistance" to the flood victims.

Nearly two decades ago, the worst floods hit the Sylhet region of Bangladesh in late May, and residents are still struggling with the devastation. The floods killed at least 10 people and affected 4 million.

Former lawmaker Syed Rafiqul Haq says there is a risk of a humanitarian crisis in Bangladesh. ''Nearly all of Sylhet, Sonamganj belt is under water and millions of people are trapped.''

Officials say about 3.1 million people have been displaced, while about 200,000 have been relocated to temporary shelters at higher altitudes.

In South Asia, monsoon rains are helpful to farmers, but they cause huge loss of life and property every year. Both Bangladesh and India have suffered from bad weather in recent years.

Although environmentalists do not consider any individual weather event to be climate change, they say such events could lead to further catastrophe, especially in countries with low ground and dense populations.