India and Bangladesh under water

Heavy rains and storms are causing huge floods and high water in both countries. Tens of thousands of people have had to leave their homes so far. By Ulrike Schulze

  • A woman walks through waist-deep water with a bundle tucked under her arm
    Saving the last of their belongings: this woman from a village in India's northeastern state of Assam cannot save much from the floods. In the state of Bihar, the heavy rain has also damaged hundreds of hectares of crop land and thousands of fruit trees. In north-eastern Bangladesh, the worst flooding in almost 20 years has cut off two million people from the outside world
  • Aerial view of widespread flooding in Sylhet, Bangladesh
    Floods as far as the eye can see: in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh, the Barak River breached its embankment and flooded more than a hundred places, according to the region's administrative chief. This aerial view shows the widespread flooding in Beanibazar in the same region
  • Volunteers distribute food to affected people
    Volunteers on duty: in India, at least 47 people have died due to severe weather, floods and landslides – 14 of them in Assam state, which borders Bangladesh – according to local disaster management authorities. Volunteers help those affected and distribute food
  • A house on the banks of the Surma River is completely surrounded by water
    Here, only help from the air brings relief: the Surma River in northern Bangladesh has burst its banks and is flooding the surrounding villages, including this house. In the flood-stricken regions of India, the military evacuated thousands of people in recent weeks and supplied those cut off from the outside world from the air
  • People who had to leave their homes shelter in classrooms
    Sheltering in schools: in the flood-affected regions of India and Bangladesh, 90,000 people are unable to return to their homes. A school building serves as a shelter for people in Nagaon in the hard-hit state of Assam
  • People stand behind a section of road destroyed by floodwaters in Assam, India
    Destroyed roads: this road has been washed away and destroyed by the water – even rescue services can't get through here. Floods are common in Bangladesh and neighbouring regions of India. Experts warn that weather extremes are increasingly likely due to climate change
  • A group of children smiles at the photographer through the window of a flood relief centre
    And the children laugh anyway: they have probably lost everything, yet they smile at the photographer from the window of a flood relief centre. These children had to leave their homes in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh together with their families and seek shelter from the masses of water