Damage and Needs Assessment of Chattogram Division’s Flash Flood and Monsoon Rain

The Chattogram Division was severely affected by monsoon rain between 5 – 8 August 2023, resulting severe flash flood and landslides in Bandarban, Rangamati and Cox’s Bazar. The flood has caused a humanitarian crisis and people are still struggling for their basic necessities, such as food, household essential, drinking water, hygiene items, house repairing materials etc. The affected population, which already were living with immense difficulty with lack of required resources and adequate livelihood opportunities; are put in dire situation with extreme food crisis, losses of HHs essential items, living or displaced with damaged houses and lack of wash facilities, loss of their petty savings, less opportunity for income. As a result, the life and livelihood of the affected people have been severely disrupted, and they are facing tremendous challenges in meeting their daily needs and dignified living and hence, require support for food, household essentials, household repairing/reconstruction, repairing/reconstruction of and access to wash facilities for returning to a dignified living at own place from unsafe living in displaced condition. In the face of such disaster, support from relevant agencies, in supplement to the national effort, are crucial. 

The Displacement Management Cluster, Shelter Cluster and WASH Cluster have conducted a ‘Damage and Needs Assessment’ to determine the pattern of damages and post disaster key immediate needs at the HHs level at the same way the assessment reveals the long-term needs of the affected people. Furthermore, the assessment identified the needs of temporary displaced at the evacuation shelters - information which can be used during future disasters. 

This assessment has been conducted at Bandarban, Rangamati and Cox’s Bazar Districts. Assessment methodologies involved household survey, community-based Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) at the Union, Subdistrict and District level.