As the massive floods in Bangladesh affected nearly 1.8 million people and resulted in five deaths, rumors began circulating, falsely blaming India’s opening of the Dumbur Dam on the Gumti River in Tripura for the deluge.&nbsp;

On Thursday (Aug 22), India firmly dismissed these allegations from Bangladesh, backing its stance with hardcore evidence.

"Concerns have been raised in Bangladesh that the current flooding in districts along the eastern border may be due to the opening of the Dumbur Dam upstream on the Gumti River in Tripura. However, this claim is factually incorrect," said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-yunus-interim-govt-cancels-diplomatic-passport-of-ex-pm-hasina-752462">Bangladesh: Yunus-led interim govt cancels diplomatic passport of ex-PM Hasina</a>

The Gumti River flows through the northeastern Indian state of Tripura before entering Bangladesh. The Dumbur dam, located in Tripura, is situated more than 120 km upstream from the Bangladesh border, explained the MEA.

However, the flood that caused the havoc in Bangladesh was due to water from those large catchments downstream of the dam, it added.

It may be mentioned here, Bangladesh is currently going through a political crisis and has seen a rise in anti-India sentiments.&nbsp;

Violent protests forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India. A segment of the people in Bangladesh believes that India helped Hasina stay in power. Therefore spreading&nbsp;misinformation in such a situation becomes much easier for those with anti-India agendas.

New Delhi hits back

The MEA emphasised on bilateral cooperation and said floods in the common rivers between the two countries are a "shared" problem. And sufferings on people on both sides requires close mutual cooperation towards resolving it.

The MEA clarified that the catchment areas of the Gumti river, which flows through India and Bangladesh, have witnessed the heaviest rains of this year over the last few days.

The MEA stated that the flooding in Bangladesh was primarily due to water from the large catchment areas downstream of the dam.

The Dumbur dam is located quite far from the border -- more than 120 km upstream of Bangladesh -- the ministry said in a statement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-not-fulfilling-commitment-bnp-wants-hasina-extradited-new-case-filed-against-ex-pm-751740">‘India not fulfilling commitment…,’ BNP wants Hasina extradited, new case filed against ex-PM</a>

It further highlighted that the Dumbur dam, located over 120 km upstream of Bangladesh, is a low-height dam that generates power and supplies 40MW to Bangladesh.

"Along the about 120-km river course, we have three water-level observation sites at Amarpur, Sonamura and Sonamura 2," MEA said.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated that the two countries share 54 common cross-border rivers, making river-water cooperation a key aspect of their bilateral relationship.

"We remain committed to addressing issues and mutual concerns in water resources and river management through bilateral consultations and technical discussions," the ministry stated.

Notably, around 18 lakh people have been affected by floods in six districts of Bangladesh, the Dhaka-based Daily Star reported on Thursday, while 3 million people have been stranded in eight districts.

Meanwhile, social media in Bangladesh has been abuzz, with some users accusing India of causing the floods.

"For the first time in generations, Bangladesh's entire southeastern region is facing its worst flooding in history affecting millions of people. The cause? Indian authorities opened the gates of the Dumbur Reservoir in Tripura for the first time in three decades, releasing massive volumes of water into an already rain-soaked region," said a user.

"Could there have been flooding without India opening the Dumbur Reservoir gates? Perhaps yes, but on a significantly smaller scale. The sudden release of water from the dam has inundated the region to an extent it hasn't experienced in generations," another user added.

"India has created an artificial flood in Bangladesh by releasing water from its dams and you still wonder why people hate India so much?" said a third user on X.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the massive floods in Bangladesh affected nearly 1.8 million people and resulted in five deaths, rumors began circulating, falsely blaming India’s opening of the Dumbur Dam on the Gumti River in Tripura for the deluge.

As the massive floods in Bangladesh affected nearly 1.8 million people and resulted in five deaths, rumors began circulating, falsely blaming India’s opening of the Dumbur Dam on the Gumti River in Tripura for the deluge. On Thursday (Aug 22), India firmly dismissed these allegations from Bangladesh, backing its stance with hardcore evidence. "Concerns have been raised in Bangladesh that the current flooding in districts along the eastern border may be due to the opening of the Dumbur Dam upstream on the Gumti River in Tripura. However, this claim is factually incorrect," said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Also read: Bangladesh: Yunus-led interim govt cancels diplomatic passport of ex-PM Hasina The Gumti River flows through the northeastern Indian state of Tripura before entering Bangladesh. The Dumbur dam, located in Tripura, is situated more than 120 km upstream from the Bangladesh border, explained the MEA. However, the flood that caused the havoc in Bangladesh was due to water from those large catchments downstream of the dam, it added. It may be mentioned here, Bangladesh is currently going through a political crisis and has seen a rise in anti-India sentiments. Violent protests forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India. A segment of the people in Bangladesh believes that India helped Hasina stay in power. Therefore spreading misinformation in such a situation becomes much easier for those with anti-India agendas. New Delhi hits back The MEA emphasised on bilateral cooperation and said floods in the common rivers between the two countries are a "shared" problem. And sufferings on people on both sides requires close mutual cooperation towards resolving it. The MEA clarified that the catchment areas of the Gumti river, which flows through India and Bangladesh, have witnessed the heaviest rains of this year over the last few days. The MEA stated that the flooding in Bangladesh was primarily due to water from the large catchment areas downstream of the dam. The Dumbur dam is located quite far from the border -- more than 120 km upstream of Bangladesh -- the ministry said in a statement. Also read: ‘India not fulfilling commitment…,’ BNP wants Hasina extradited, new case filed against ex-PM It further highlighted that the Dumbur dam, located over 120 km upstream of Bangladesh, is a low-height dam that generates power and supplies 40MW to Bangladesh. "Along the about 120-km river course, we have three water-level observation sites at Amarpur, Sonamura and Sonamura 2," MEA said. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated that the two countries share 54 common cross-border rivers, making river-water cooperation a key aspect of their bilateral relationship. "We remain committed to addressing issues and mutual concerns in water resources and river management through bilateral consultations and technical discussions," the ministry stated. Notably, around 18 lakh people have been affected by floods in six districts of Bangladesh, the Dhaka-based Daily Star reported on Thursday, while 3 million people have been stranded in eight districts. Meanwhile, social media in Bangladesh has been abuzz, with some users accusing India of causing the floods. "For the first time in generations, Bangladesh's entire southeastern region is facing its worst flooding in history affecting millions of people. The cause? Indian authorities opened the gates of the Dumbur Reservoir in Tripura for the first time in three decades, releasing massive volumes of water into an already rain-soaked region," said a user. "Could there have been flooding without India opening the Dumbur Reservoir gates? Perhaps yes, but on a significantly smaller scale. The sudden release of water from the dam has inundated the region to an extent it hasn't experienced in generations," another user added. "India has created an artificial flood in Bangladesh by releasing water from its dams and you still wonder why people hate India so much?" said a third user on X. (With inputs from agencies)

Bangladesh blames India for massive flooding; New Delhi responds

Flood continues to wreak havoc in Bangladesh with authorities struggling to ferry drinking water and dry food.

WION Climate Tracker: Climate change creates new crisis for Bangladesh

Monsoon-triggered torrential rains have caused massive flooding and landslide in northeastern states in&nbsp;India and Bangladesh, leaving more than 6 million people marooned and killing at least 18 people in both the countries, according to reports. The authorities say that the situation could get worse&nbsp;in the upcoming days.

More than 3 million people were affected in India’s Assam state, where at least 63 people have lost their lives so far, including eight reported dead on Saturday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take stock of the situation. The CM also visited a few relief camps sheltering affected people in Kamrup and Darrang districts.

The toll in the current second wave of floods and landslides in the state has increased to 63 as two deaths each were reported from Barpeta and Karimganj while one each died in Darrang, Hailakandi, Nalbari and Sonitpur districts.

Speaking to media persons, Sarma said that the district administration is ready to face any exigency and to help the flood-affected people.

''The administration has been directed to ensure relief supplies and evacuate people from vulnerable areas to relief camps. The Army is ready to provide assistance and the deputy commissioners have been asked to take their help when required. NDRF and SDRF personnel are evacuating affected people to safer places,'' he said.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) bulletin on Saturday stated that the river Kopili is flowing above 'High Flood Level' in Nagaon district, while other rivers such as the Brahmaputra, Jia-Bharali, Puthimari, Pagladia, Manas, Beki, Barak and Kushiara are flowing above the danger level at different places.

A population of over 3.1 million have been affected in 32 districts, according to a report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Saturday.

In Tripura state, over 10,000 people have been left homeless due to inundation since Friday but there is no report of any human casualty, according to reports.

Meghalaya's Mawsynram and Cherrapunji also received its highest rainfall since 1940.

In neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, water from river Subansiri has submerged a dam that was under construction for a hydroelectric power project, news agency PTI reported.

Watch |&nbsp;India's Northeast hit by Monsoon floods: 1.8 mn stranded in Assam

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indias-northeast-hit-by-monsoon-floods-18-mn-stranded-in-assam-489452/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In Bangladesh, at least 15 people have been killed in eight districts due to lightning strikes since Friday, and four people were killed in landslides, police officials said.

The flooding in Bangladesh, described by a government expert as potentially the country`s worst since 2004, was exacerbated by the runoff from heavy rain across Indian mountains. Rain continued on Saturday, with more forecast over the next two days.

"Much of the country`s northeast is underwater and the situation is getting worse as heavy downpour continues," Reuters news agency quoted Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, chief administrator of Bangladesh’s Sylhet region.

Bangladesh and India have experienced increasing extreme weather in recent years, causing large-scale damage. Environmentalists warn climate change could lead to more disasters, especially in low-lying and densely populated Bangladesh.

The worst-hit Sunamganj district in Bangladesh is almost disconnected from the rest of the country, Hossain told Reuters, adding that authorities helped by the army were focused on rescuing those trapped and distributing relief.

"There is a shortage of boats, which makes it harder to move people to safer places," he said. "Today the navy is joining us in rescue efforts."

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

&nbsp;

Monsoon-triggered torrential rains have caused massive flooding and landslide in northeastern states in India and Bangladesh, leaving more than 6 million people marooned and killing at least 18 people in both the countries, according to reports.

Monsoon-triggered torrential rains have caused massive flooding and landslide in northeastern states in India and Bangladesh, leaving more than 6 million people marooned and killing at least 18 people in both the countries, according to reports. The authorities say that the situation could get worse in the upcoming days. More than 3 million people were affected in India’s Assam state, where at least 63 people have lost their lives so far, including eight reported dead on Saturday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take stock of the situation. The CM also visited a few relief camps sheltering affected people in Kamrup and Darrang districts. The toll in the current second wave of floods and landslides in the state has increased to 63 as two deaths each were reported from Barpeta and Karimganj while one each died in Darrang, Hailakandi, Nalbari and Sonitpur districts. Speaking to media persons, Sarma said that the district administration is ready to face any exigency and to help the flood-affected people. ''The administration has been directed to ensure relief supplies and evacuate people from vulnerable areas to relief camps. The Army is ready to provide assistance and the deputy commissioners have been asked to take their help when required. NDRF and SDRF personnel are evacuating affected people to safer places,'' he said. The Central Water Commission (CWC) bulletin on Saturday stated that the river Kopili is flowing above 'High Flood Level' in Nagaon district, while other rivers such as the Brahmaputra, Jia-Bharali, Puthimari, Pagladia, Manas, Beki, Barak and Kushiara are flowing above the danger level at different places. A population of over 3.1 million have been affected in 32 districts, according to a report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Saturday. In Tripura state, over 10,000 people have been left homeless due to inundation since Friday but there is no report of any human casualty, according to reports. Meghalaya's Mawsynram and Cherrapunji also received its highest rainfall since 1940. In neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, water from river Subansiri has submerged a dam that was under construction for a hydroelectric power project, news agency PTI reported. Watch | India's Northeast hit by Monsoon floods: 1.8 mn stranded in Assam In Bangladesh, at least 15 people have been killed in eight districts due to lightning strikes since Friday, and four people were killed in landslides, police officials said. The flooding in Bangladesh, described by a government expert as potentially the country`s worst since 2004, was exacerbated by the runoff from heavy rain across Indian mountains. Rain continued on Saturday, with more forecast over the next two days. "Much of the country`s northeast is underwater and the situation is getting worse as heavy downpour continues," Reuters news agency quoted Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, chief administrator of Bangladesh’s Sylhet region. Bangladesh and India have experienced increasing extreme weather in recent years, causing large-scale damage. Environmentalists warn climate change could lead to more disasters, especially in low-lying and densely populated Bangladesh. The worst-hit Sunamganj district in Bangladesh is almost disconnected from the rest of the country, Hossain told Reuters, adding that authorities helped by the army were focused on rescuing those trapped and distributing relief. "There is a shortage of boats, which makes it harder to move people to safer places," he said. "Today the navy is joining us in rescue efforts." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

At least 60 killed, over 6 million marooned as monsoon-triggered rain wreaks havoc in India, Bangladesh

A new study has found that the number of people exposed to floods worldwide has surged almost a quarter over the last 20 years.

The research is based on&nbsp;satellite&nbsp;data that shows an additional 86 million now live within flood-prone regions.

Flooding is by far the most common of extreme weather events made more frequent and potent by rainfall patterns supercharged by climate change.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-heres-what-climate-change-is-doing-to-us-401602/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Deadly inundations, such as recently in India, China, Germany and Belgium, inflict billions worth of damage, often disproportionally affecting poorer sectors of society.

Most flood maps rely on modelling based on ground-level observations such as rainfall and elevation, but they can often entirely miss regions that are historically not flood-prone.&nbsp;

To fill in those gaps, a team of US-based researchers examined satellite data from twice-daily imaging of more than 900 individual flood events in 169 countries since 2000.&nbsp;

They used the data to create the Global Flood Database, which provides open source information on the death toll, displacement and rainfall levels linked to each of the 913 floods. &nbsp;

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/chinese-city-picks-through-the-debris-after-record-rains-kill-33-399739">Chinese city picks through the debris after record rains kill 33</a>

Writing in the journal Nature, the researchers found that up to 86 million people, driven by economic necessity, moved into known flood regions between 2000-2015, a 24-percent increase.&nbsp;

A total of 2.23 million square kilometres (860,000 square miles), more than the entire area of Greenland, were flooded between 2000 and 2018, affecting up to 290 million people.

And it's only going to get worse.&nbsp;

Computer modelling produced estimates that climate change and shifting demographics would mean an additional 25 countries facing a high risk of flooding by 2030.&nbsp;

Lead study author Beth Tellman, a researcher at Columbia University's Earth Institute and co-founder of the flood analytics firm Cloud to Street, said&nbsp;the number of additional people now at risk of flooding was 10 times higher than previous estimates.&nbsp;

"We are able to map floods that are often unmapped or not typically represented in flood models, such as ice melt floods or dam breaks," said Tellman.&nbsp;

"Dam breaks are especially impactful. In these dam overflow or dam break events, up to 13 million people were impacted, across just these 13 events."

The majority of flood-prone countries were in South and Southeast Asia, but the satellite data showed previously unidentified increases in &nbsp;exposure across Latin America and the Middle East.&nbsp;

'Retreat only option'

Just 1.5 degrees Centigrade of warming, the most ambitious Paris Agreement temperature goal,&nbsp;would see two or three times more people affected by floods in Colombia, Brazil and Argentina, four times more in Ecuador and Uruguay, and a five-fold jump in Peru, the IPCC report said.&nbsp;

Most flood events in the database unveiled were caused by excess rainfall, followed by storm surges, snow or ice melt, and dam breaks.&nbsp;

Tellman said the research showed the benefit of building in flood prevention measures to rural and urban planning.&nbsp;

"It is well known that spending $1 on disaster management and prevention can save up to $6 on relief and recovery efforts," she said.&nbsp;

In a linked comment, Brenden Jongman, an expert at the World Bank, said the flood database was a "crucial step" in understanding the link between climate change and socio-economic development.&nbsp;

"Satellite technology can track changes in protective ecosystems, similarly to its use in monitoring flooding and population changes," he said. &nbsp;

"However, even the best combination of infrastructure and nature-based approaches might be insufficient to deal with rising sea levels,&nbsp;the only option for some communities will be to manage their retreat out of flood-prone areas," added Jongman.

(With inputs from agencies)

A new study has found that the number of people exposed to floods worldwide has surged almost a quarter over the last 20 years. The research is based on satellite data that shows an additional 86 million now live within flood-prone regions.

A new study has found that the number of people exposed to floods worldwide has surged almost a quarter over the last 20 years. The research is based on satellite data that shows an additional 86 million now live within flood-prone regions. Flooding is by far the most common of extreme weather events made more frequent and potent by rainfall patterns supercharged by climate change. Deadly inundations, such as recently in India, China, Germany and Belgium, inflict billions worth of damage, often disproportionally affecting poorer sectors of society. Most flood maps rely on modelling based on ground-level observations such as rainfall and elevation, but they can often entirely miss regions that are historically not flood-prone. To fill in those gaps, a team of US-based researchers examined satellite data from twice-daily imaging of more than 900 individual flood events in 169 countries since 2000. They used the data to create the Global Flood Database, which provides open source information on the death toll, displacement and rainfall levels linked to each of the 913 floods. Also see| Chinese city picks through the debris after record rains kill 33 Writing in the journal Nature, the researchers found that up to 86 million people, driven by economic necessity, moved into known flood regions between 2000-2015, a 24-percent increase. A total of 2.23 million square kilometres (860,000 square miles), more than the entire area of Greenland, were flooded between 2000 and 2018, affecting up to 290 million people. And it's only going to get worse. Computer modelling produced estimates that climate change and shifting demographics would mean an additional 25 countries facing a high risk of flooding by 2030. Lead study author Beth Tellman, a researcher at Columbia University's Earth Institute and co-founder of the flood analytics firm Cloud to Street, said the number of additional people now at risk of flooding was 10 times higher than previous estimates. "We are able to map floods that are often unmapped or not typically represented in flood models, such as ice melt floods or dam breaks," said Tellman. "Dam breaks are especially impactful. In these dam overflow or dam break events, up to 13 million people were impacted, across just these 13 events." The majority of flood-prone countries were in South and Southeast Asia, but the satellite data showed previously unidentified increases in exposure across Latin America and the Middle East. 'Retreat only option' Just 1.5 degrees Centigrade of warming, the most ambitious Paris Agreement temperature goal, would see two or three times more people affected by floods in Colombia, Brazil and Argentina, four times more in Ecuador and Uruguay, and a five-fold jump in Peru, the IPCC report said. Most flood events in the database unveiled were caused by excess rainfall, followed by storm surges, snow or ice melt, and dam breaks. Tellman said the research showed the benefit of building in flood prevention measures to rural and urban planning. "It is well known that spending $1 on disaster management and prevention can save up to $6 on relief and recovery efforts," she said. In a linked comment, Brenden Jongman, an expert at the World Bank, said the flood database was a "crucial step" in understanding the link between climate change and socio-economic development. "Satellite technology can track changes in protective ecosystems, similarly to its use in monitoring flooding and population changes," he said. "However, even the best combination of infrastructure and nature-based approaches might be insufficient to deal with rising sea levels, the only option for some communities will be to manage their retreat out of flood-prone areas," added Jongman. (With inputs from agencies)

Study finds number of people exposed to floods worldwide has surged 25%

Bangladesh is battling the worst flood of the decade. One-third of the country has been flooded, at least 4 million people have been hit. Experts say the worst is yet to come.

Gravitas: One-Third of Bangladesh submerged by floodwaters

A third of Bangladesh is underwater after some of the heaviest rains in a decade. At least 1.5 million people are affected in this heavy flood. Bangladesh's Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre says, this is going to be the worst flood in a decade

Over 1.5 million people are affected in Bangladesh Flood, Red Alert in all rivers