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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox flood
| name = 2017 South Asian floods
| image =
| image_size =
| alt = 
| caption = 
| duration = July–September 2017
| affected = {{flagicon|Bangladesh}} [[Bangladesh]]<br />{{flagicon|India}} [[India]]<br />{{flagicon|Nepal}} [[Nepal]]<br />{{flagicon|Pakistan}} [[Pakistan]]
| cause = [[Monsoon]]
| fatalities = Around 1,300
| damages =
}}

Widespread [[monsoon]] flooding occurred in the [[South Asia]]n countries of [[Bangladesh]], [[India]], [[Nepal]] and [[Pakistan]] from July through September 2017. By 30 August, more than 41 million people were known to be affected by the floods,<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-floods-bangladesh-nepal-millions-affected-says-un-a7920721.html Ferand, Chloe] ''INDEPENDENT'': "At least 41 million people affected in floods in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, UN says", 30 August 2017. Accessed 12 September 2017.</ref> a figure that increased by 10% over the following three days, topping 45 million by 2 September. According to [[UNICEF]], that figure includes 16 million children.<ref name="16 million children"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Flooding in India, Nepal, Bangladesh affecting 16 million children: UNICEF |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/flooding-in-india-nepal-bangladesh-affecting-16-million-children-unicef/articleshow/60347878.cms|access-date=4 September 2017|work=The Times of India|date=3 September 2017}}</ref>

About 2,000 people, on average, have died due to flooding in South Asia each year during the previous two decades, according to ''[[The New York Times]]''{{'}} reading of the [[Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters]] (EM-DAT) disaster database.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://WWW.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/world/asia/bihar-india-monsoon-floods.html|work=The New York Times|title=They Thought the Monsoons Were Calm. Then Came the Deadly Floods|first1=Suhasini|last1=Raj|first2=Jeffrey|last2=Gettleman|date=7 September 2017}}</ref>

== Background and context ==
[[Monsoon of South Asia|Monsoons hit South Asia]] every year between June and September, but the 2017 monsoon season has been far worse than average,<ref>{{cite news|title=South Asia floods: What's happening? – CBBC Newsround|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/41134580|access-date=4 September 2017|publisher=BBC News|date=2 September 2017}}</ref> bringing flooding, and associated landslides, of a scale unseen in recent years. Experts have called these the worst South Asian floods in decades, with long-term food supplies in question due to ruined farmland.<ref name="Voanews hunger">{{Cite news |url= https://www.voanews.com/a/bangladesh-devastating-hunger-major-floods-un-says/3998059.html |title= UN: Bangladesh Risks 'Devastating' Hunger after Major Floods |last=Reuters |work=VOA |access-date= 24 August 2017 |language=en}}</ref> As of 2 September, 1,288 people have been confirmed killed, and more than 45 million affected.<ref name="16 million children">{{cite web|title=16 million children affected by massive flooding in South Asia, with millions more at risk|date=2 September 2017|url=https://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/media_100719.html|website=UNICEF|access-date=4 September 2017}}</ref> The estimated number of people affected increased from 24 million to 41 million during the last week of August 2017.<ref>{{cite news |title= Deadly South Asia floods affect 16m people |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40975232 |access-date= 24 August 2017 |publisher=BBC News |date=18 August 2017}}</ref><ref name="Gettleman NYT">{{cite news|last1=Gettleman|first1=Jeffrey|title=More Than 1,000 Died in South Asia Floods This Summer|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/29/world/asia/floods-south-asia-india-bangladesh-nepal-houston.html|access-date=4 September 2017|work=The New York Times|date=29 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1= Leister |first1= Eric |title= 24 million people impacted by monsoon flooding in India, Nepal and Bangladesh |url= https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/16-million-plus-people-impacted-by-monsoon-flooding-in-india-nepal-and-bangladesh/70002518 |access-date= 24 August 2017 |publisher= [[AccuWeather.com]] |date= 23 August 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170824135457/https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/16-million-plus-people-impacted-by-monsoon-flooding-in-india-nepal-and-bangladesh/70002518 |archive-date= 24 August 2017 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

The [[International Centre for Climate Change and Development]] (ICCCD) and others have asserted that these floods have been exacerbated by [[climate change]].<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://thewire.in/169622/south-asia-stuggles-flood-damage/ |title= South Asia Struggles to Contain Flood Damage |last=Ahmed |first=Farid |website= [[The Wire (Indian web publication)|The Wire]] |language=en-GB |access-date= 24 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Watts|first1=Jonathan|title=In an era of dire climate records the US and South Asia floods won't be the last|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/30/in-an-era-of-unwelcome-climate-records-hurricane-harvey-wont-be-the-last|access-date=4 September 2017|work=The Guardian|date=31 August 2017}}</ref>

== Countries affected ==
=== Bangladesh ===
As of 1 September, flooding that the [[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies]] called the worst in four decades covered approximately one-third of Bangladesh, primarily in the northern, north-eastern, and central parts of the country. At the height of the storms on 11 August, a week of regular monsoon rain fell in the span of a few hours.<ref name="CNN Bangladesh">{{cite news|last1=Steve|first1=George|title=A third of Bangladesh under water as flood devastation widens|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/01/asia/bangladesh-south-asia-floods/index.html|access-date=4 September 2017|publisher=CNN|date=1 September 2017}}</ref> More rain and flooding was expected, including in [[Dhaka]], the country's capital. Over six million have been affected, according to UNICEF, with estimates ranging as high as 8.5 million.<ref name="CNN Bangladesh"/><ref name="UNICEF Bangladesh">{{cite web|url=http://reliefweb.int/report/bangladesh/unicef-bangladesh-humanitarian-situation-report-monsoon-floods-01-sept-2017|title=Bangladesh Humanitarian Situation Report (Monsoon Floods)|publisher=UNICEF|date=1 September 2017|access-date=4 September 2017}}</ref> Property losses included nearly 700,000 damaged or destroyed homes, {{convert|4680000|ha}} of farmland inundated, and thousands of miles of damaged roads.<ref name="16 million children"/><ref name="Gettleman NYT"/><ref name="UNICEF Bangladesh"/> The sheer amount of destroyed farmland, coming during the regular time of [[rice cultivation]], has sparked fears of a food crisis in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2019/03/05/how-dire-climate-displacement-warnings-are-becoming-reality-bangladesh|title=How dire climate displacement warnings are becoming a reality in Bangladesh|date=5 March 2019|website=The New Humanitarian|language=en|access-date=2019-06-24}}</ref><ref name="CNN Bangladesh"/>

Around 140 deaths from the floods were reported.<ref name="CNN Bangladesh"/> Over fifty thousand people have been [[displaced people|displaced]], adding to nearly thirty thousand refugees fleeing the [[2016–17 Northern Rakhine State clashes]].<ref name="CNN Bangladesh"/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Wright|first1=Rebecca|last2=McKirdy|first2=Euan|title=Bodies of 20 Rohingya Muslims pulled from river on Bangladesh border|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/31/asia/myanmar-bangladesh-rohingya-bodies/index.html|access-date=4 September 2017|publisher=CNN|date=31 August 2017}}</ref>

=== India ===
{{see also|2017 Northeast India floods|2017 Gujarat flood|2017 West Bengal floods|2017 Bihar flood|2017 Mumbai flood}}
[[File:2017 Gujarat Flood Rescue by Indian Air Force 10.jpg|thumb|Helicopter deployed by Indian Air Force for rescue in flooded regions of Gujarat]]
Flooding in India has been primarily confined to the northern portion of the country, including [[Assam]], [[West Bengal]], [[Bihar]], Rajasthan and [[Uttar Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite news|title=At Least 950 Killed in South Asia's Annual Monsoon Floods|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/08/24/world/asia/ap-as-south-asia-floods.html|access-date=4 September 2017|work=The New York Times|agency=Associated Press|date=24 August 2017}}</ref> In the latter two, over 500 and over a hundred have died (respectively).<ref>{{cite news|title=Flood Situation Improves in Bihar, Number of Dead at 514|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/flood-situation-improves-in-bihar-number-of-dead-at-514-1743155|access-date=4 September 2017|publisher=NDTV.com|date=28 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Uttar Pradesh's Flood Woes Continue; Toll Touches 104|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/uttar-pradeshs-flood-woes-continue-toll-touches-104-1744528|access-date=4 September 2017|publisher=NDTV.com|date=31 August 2017}}</ref> By mid-August, flooding had affected over 31 million people, and damaged or destroyed over 800,000 houses.<ref name="16 million children"/> Over 85% of [[Kaziranga National Park]] was flooded.<ref name="Worst flood in 29 years|work=The Times of India">{{cite news |last1= Kalita |first1=Prabin |last2=Mitra |first2=Naresh |title= Worst flood in 29 years hits Assam |url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/worst-flood-in-29-years-hits-assam/articleshow/60050865.cms |access-date= 14 August 2017 |work= The Times of India |date= 14 August 2017}}</ref> Government officials were criticized for not placing more preventative measures before these floods hit. In [[Bihar]], for example, Reuters reported that there was anger at the number of embankments and roads which were designed with few to no provisions for water drainage.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rupam|first1=Tommy|last2=Wilkes|first2=Jain|title=Worst floods to hit South Asia in decade expose lack of monsoon planning|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southasia-floods/worst-floods-to-hit-south-asia-in-decade-expose-lack-of-monsoon-planning-idUSKCN1BC4QI|access-date=4 September 2017|agency=Reuters|date=1 September 2017}}</ref> In [[Gujarat]] state, the floods and rains were reported to have caused 224 deaths in June and July months.<ref name=":12">{{Cite news|url=http://gujaratsamacharepaper.com/epaper.php?edition=Ahmedabad&date=2017-08-02&pageno=2|title=અતિવૃષ્ટિનો કેર: ગુજરાતમાં ૨૨૪નાં મૃત્યુ, બનાસકાંઠામાં સૌથી વધુ ૬૧|date=2 August 2017|work=[[Gujarat Samachar]]|access-date=2 August 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20170802053822/http://gujaratsamacharepaper.com/epaper.php?edition=Ahmedabad&date=2017-08-02&pageno=2|archive-date=2 August 2017|edition=Ahmedabad|page=2|language=gu|trans-title=Flood terror: 224 died in Gujarat, highest in Banaskantha at 61}}</ref>

[[Mumbai]] faces severe problems each year during the monsoon season because of its loose building restrictions and large homeless population,<ref name="Al Jazeera building collapse">{{cite news|title=Death toll from Mumbai building collapse rises to 33|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/09/death-toll-mumbai-building-collapse-rises-33-170901042117279.html|access-date=4 September 2017|publisher=Al Jazeera|agency=Associated Press|date=1 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="Guardian building collapse">{{cite news|last1=Dhillon|first1=Amrit|last2=Carr|first2=Carlin|title='Not a single thing was dry': Mumbai's residents count the cost of floods|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/01/mumbai-residents-count-cost-rain-floods|access-date=4 September 2017|work=The Guardian|date=1 September 2017}}</ref> but this year's season saw the city receive more rainfall and worse flooding than the [[Maharashtra floods of 2005]].<ref name="Gettleman NYT"/> One hospital was flooded, and the city's public transportation was forced to shut down.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mumbai flooding causes transport chaos|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41085606|access-date=4 September 2017|publisher=BBC News|date=29 August 2017}}</ref> The weather also caused a century-old multi-story building to collapse, killing at least 33.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dhillon|first1=Amrit|title=South Asia floods: Mumbai building collapses as monsoon rains wreak havoc|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/31/south-asia-floods-fears-death-toll-rise-india-pakistan-mumbai-building-collapses|access-date=4 September 2017|work=The Guardian|date=31 August 2017}}</ref><ref name="Al Jazeera building collapse"/> On 29 August 2017, Mumbai was again witness to floods due to a confluence of torrential rains and high tide, resulting in 298 mm of rainfall in a period of 9 hours.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.skymetweather.com/content/weather-news-and-analysis/record-breaking-mumbai-rains-of-298-mm-in-9-hours-reminder-of-2005-deluge/|title=Record breaking Mumbai Rains of 298 mm in 9 hours; reminder of 2005 deluge {{!}} Skymet Weather Services|website=www.skymetweather.com|language=en-US|access-date=6 September 2017}}</ref> 5 people are reported to have lost their lives in Mumbai due to the deluge which saw the highest rainfall in a single day in August since 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/08/29/five-dead-as-mumbai-records-highest-rainfall-in-a-single-day-in-august-since-1997_a_23190138/|title=Five Dead As Mumbai Records Highest Rainfall In A Single Day In August Since 1997|date=29 August 2017|website=Huffington Post India|access-date=6 September 2017}}</ref>

For the third consecutive year, [[monsoon season]] has been marked by flooding in the northwest and northeast regions, while [[drought in India]] worsens along the southern [[peninsula]]. According to an [[Indo-Asian News Service]] release issued in September, these "rainfall extremes have increased threefold over the last few years and now extend over all of central India -- from Gujarat to Odisha."<ref>[http://www.ians.in/index.php?param=category/26/10003 ''Indo-Asian News Service'' (IANS)]: "What's causing so many changes to India's Monsoons?" by Raghu Murtugudde, 3 September 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.</ref><ref>[http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/why-indias-monsoons-are-changing-rapidly-1745445 ''NDTV.com'']"Why India's Monsoons are changing rapidly" by Raghu Murtugudde, ''[[NDTV|New Delhi Television]]'', 3 September 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.</ref>

=== Nepal ===

As of 24 August 143 people have been killed in Nepal; 1.7 million have been affected by them, and around 461,000 have been forced out of their residences.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nepal: Flood 2017 – Office of the Resident Coordinator Situation Report No. 5 (as of 24 August 2017)|url=http://reliefweb.int/report/nepal/nepal-flood-2017-office-resident-coordinator-situation-report-no-5-24-august-2017|website=ReliefWeb|publisher=OCHA|access-date=4 September 2017|date=24 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=UNICEF Nepal Humanitarian Situation Report 6, 26 August 2017|url=http://reliefweb.int/report/nepal/unicef-nepal-humanitarian-situation-report-6-26-august-2017|website=ReliefWeb|publisher=OCHA|access-date=4 September 2017|date=26 August 2017}}</ref> Over 34,000 homes were flooded, destroying 1,000. Parts of the [[Mahendra Highway]], the most important east–west connection in the country, were washed away, and agricultural experts predicted that the country's [[rice]] production would be adversely affected.<ref name="Kathmandu 57 lives">{{cite news |last1=Mandal |first1= Chandan Kumar |title= Floods claim 57 lives across country |url= http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2017-08-14/floods-claim-57-lives-across-country.html |access-date= 14 August 2017 |work= Kathmandu Post |date=14 August 2017 |language=en}}</ref> The runway of [[Biratnagar Airport]] was flooded and the airport was forced to close on 15 August.<ref>{{cite news |title= Biratnagar Airport shut down |url= https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/biratnagar-airport-shut-down/ |access-date= 17 August 2017 |work= The Himalayan Times |date=15 August 2017}}</ref>

Experts stated that the flooding was the worst seen by Nepal in several years; about one-third of the country was flooded, much of it in the poorest areas of the country.<ref name="Gettleman NYT"/><ref name="Al Jazeera 23 August 2017">{{Cite news |url= http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/floods-kill-1000-india-nepal-bangladesh-170823053922993.html |title= Floods kill almost 1,000 in India, Nepal and Bangladesh |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=23 August 2017 |access-date=24 August 2017}}</ref>

=== Pakistan ===
{{see also|2017 Karachi floods}}
Monsoon rains caused [[Flood#Urban flooding|urban flooding]] in Karachi and Rawalpindi, the largest city in Pakistan. At least 23 people, including seven children, died after Karachi received up to {{convert|130|mm}} of rainfall on 31 August. Most of the victims died from being electrocuted, with others being killed by partial building collapses or drowning. Two more died in [[Kashmore District|Kashmore]] and [[Jamshoro district]]s of [[Sindh]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Imtiaz Ali|first1=Hanif Samoon, Asim Khan|title=23 killed as monsoon rains lash Karachi|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1355132|access-date=4 September 2017|work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]]|date=31 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Seven children among 23 killed as downpour cripples life in Karachi|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1355236|access-date=4 September 2017|work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]]|date=1 September 2017}}</ref>

The flooding followed a little more than a week after {{convert|41|mm}} of rain fell on Karachi on 21–22 August. There, 19 people died in rain-related incidents—including electrocution, falling billboards, and roof collapse, according to the [[Edhi Foundation|Edhi]] and [[Chhipa Welfare Association|Chhipa]] rescue services.<ref>{{cite news|title=19 die as rain wreaks havoc on Karachi|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1353252|access-date=4 September 2017|work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]]|date=23 August 2017}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://www.wsj.com/video/deadly-flooding-strikes-south-asia/3739A0CE-BE13-4BE1-8D52-1CADD295CF66.html Wall Street Journal videos]

{{DEFAULTSORT:South Asia floods}}

{{#seo:
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[[Category:2017 South Asian floods| ]]
[[Category:2017 disasters in India]]
[[Category:2017 disasters in Pakistan]]
[[Category:2017 floods|South Asian floods]]
[[Category:2017 in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:2017 in Nepal]]
[[Category:Environment of Southeast Asia]]
[[Category:Floods in Asia]]
[[Category:Floods in India]]
[[Category:Floods in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Floods in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Floods in Nepal]]
[[Category:July 2017 events in Asia]]
[[Category:August 2017 events in Asia]]
[[Category:September 2017 events in Asia]]

2017 South Asian floods - Revision history

MetaBOT at 19:22, 8 July 2023