Season of the floods: ‘It was terrifying,’ but Red Crescent volunteers nonetheless risked all to save lives and help people recover
Devipur village in Noakhali, an expansive district in the southern Delta region of Bangladesh, was one of the worst-hit areas when floods overwhelmed the area in late August. The entire village disappeared underwater, and thousands faced the terrifying reality of drowning.The Red Crescent unit of Noakhali immediately sprang into action."Once we activated the hotline, the calls never stopped. We got 10-12 calls a minute, mostly for rescue," shared Nusrat Jahan Nishi, a youth volunteer. Her team worked tirelessly, rescuing hundreds and bringing them to safety at the Devipur Primary School, which had been turned into a shelter.Being in the shelter was far from comfortable. Families, from the elderly to small children, were packed tightly together, often sleeping on school benches and cooking in unsafe conditions.Water everwhere, nothing to drinkWith no clean water or toilets, it became a struggle to stay healthy. Many families couldn't find enough food, especially for children and the elderly, and waste began to pile up, creating an unsafe environment.To ease their suffering, Red Crescent volunteers distributed dry and cooked food along with clean drinking water. Medical teams were also sent to provide care and reduce the growing health risks."Actually, people with sons or husbands can manage food more easily here," Tahera explained, highlighting the challenges women face in living and obtaining food in the shelter.It all began on 20 August 2024, following torrential rains in India. Within 24 hours, low-lying areas of the districts of Feni, Noakhali, Cumilla, and Lakshmipur in eastern and southeastern Bangladesh were underwater.By the next day, 90 per cent of Feni and Noakhali were submerged and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society in Noakhali quickly set up a control room and hotline to organize rescue efforts.Initially, the plan was to rescue flood-affected volunteers and their families, but the situation was much worse than expected. Volunteers and former youth members from across the district joined in, determined to help.“Making decisions in those first hours was the hardest part,” recalls Farhana Haider Meem, the Youth Chief of the Noakhali Unit. “We had no idea how to manage such a massive emergency so quickly.”Zobaer Hosen, one of the first youth members on the Noakhali rescue team, said they faced enormous challenges. "We didn’t have enough equipment, boats, or anything really. I went three or four nights without sleep,” Zobaer said. ”We stayed at the unit office, but every time I dozed off, I woke up thinking the phone was ringing."Despite the sleepless nights and lack of resources, Zobaer and his team didn’t stop.‘It was terrifying’The Feni unit had an even tougher time. They knew that so many families were trapped in dangerous flood waters, and they didn't have proper rescue equipment. They stepped out to help despite that fact, but unfortunately, they severely underestimated the waters and found themselves trapped as well.For 36 hours, they were stuck without food or water. Finally, as the waters receded slightly, they swam to safety using bamboo poles. Thankfully, all 23 volunteers are safe and sound.“We spent the whole day on the roof of a one-story house, using our helmets to catch water to drink. It was terrifying,” said Labib, a Red Crescent Youth in the Feni unit. “After enduring that day, we finally made it back to the nearby market, where I found my father, who had been so worried about me.”Unexpected magnitudeThe volunteers at Feni encountered two major challenges. First, there was not much coordination between all rescue organisations in this particular area, as everyone here had not experienced flooding of this scale. Another was a lack of proper rescue equipment. The Feni unit was the first group of rescuers to arrive to help in the worst-hit areas. Unfortunately, there no rescue boats available yet.Again, because none of the affected districts had experienced flooding of this scale in decades, there was no pre-stocked equipment or boats for an immediate disaster response.Many volunteers of affected districts emphasised that due to this flooding, these challenges ought now to be addressed so that they can be better prepared for future disasters.Flooding also hit people in the remote hills of Khagrachari, far from the low-lying areas where the floods were centered — people like Natun Kumar Chakma, a farmer who was also hit with the devastating impacts from the floods."My fields are still underwater, and all the crops are lost," he said.Red Crescent volunteers travelled to these remote hilly areas, where some of the region's ethnic minorities live, to provide emergency food supplies and support.Helping handsOnce the floodwaters receded, Bangladesh Red Crescent teams travelled with a National Disaster Response Team member to the submerged village of Suborno Char, Noakhali, where they disinfected tubewells to provide safe drinking water to the community.One of the tubewells they disinfected belonged to Halima. She and her three children stayed in their flooded home while the water raged outside.“I have no helping hand—no parents, no siblings—so I thought it was better to stay than go to the shelter,” she explained. Her husband, a daily labourer, was out of work because of the flood. For almost a week, the family survived on dry food. Thanks to the Red Crescent, they now have clean water, and Halima’s family will receive further support to rebuild their lives.The Bangladesh Red Crescent deployed medical teams from Holy Family Hospital (a BDRCS hospital) to Feni that included doctors, paramedics, and emergency supplies.“People came in with all sorts of health problems—rashes, infections, colds, and diarrhea,” explained Fatema Akter, a member of the Feni Red Crescent Youth Team. These medical teams were crucial in preventing the spread of disease in the aftermath of the disaster.The floods didn’t just affect physical health. The trauma of losing homes, livelihoods, and security took a mental toll as well. Volunteers, trained in providing psychological first aid, listened to and comforted people as they navigated through their fear and uncertainty.Adrita Tabassum Ome, an Red Cross Youth volunteer from Feni, worked for five days offering mental health support. "I focused on listening to women, elderly ladies, and children, while my male teammate supported the men,” she said. These volunteers played a crucial role in helping people manage their stress and anxiety during the disaster.More than 14 million people have been affected by flooding events hitting Bangladesh across the northern, northeastern, and southeastern regions since June, displacing millions and causing widespread damage. In September, the IFRC launched an emergency appeal seeking 7.5 million Swiss Francs to support Bangladesh Red Crescent recovery efforts.As operations continue, the Red Crescent is targeting and prioritizing the most affected communities, aiming to reach 400,000 people with support for safe shelter, food security, livelihood recovery, health services, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene support.This story was reported and written by Nahidul Islam and Al-Shahriar Rupam and edited by Rachel Punitha, IFRC senior communications officer. Photos by Al-Shahriar Rupam and Mustakim Billah Muhit.See more compelling photos and stories about the flooding in Feni and Noakhali.See the IFRC's Emergency Appeal for donations to help recovery in Bangladesh.
