Marooned in Bangladesh

Seeking shelter in Bangladesh.

Floods triggered by heavy rain over the past week continue to spread across north-western Bangladesh.

Rivers are near danger levels. Dozens of villages are now under water. Local officials say close to half a million people have been marooned. People are trying to salvage what they can.

(SOUNDBITE) (Bengali) FLOOD VICTIM AMENA BEGUM, SAYING:

"The sudden flood inundated our homes. We cannot stay at our homes. Many of our belongings washed away. We lost animals. We have taken shelter at another place, and many of us are making makeshift shelters."

Many are seeking higher ground anywhere they can. Food and clean water are scarce.

In some of the worst-hit areas communication has been lost for two days.

While flooding in the northeast has started to recede, there are still few signs of relief in the northwest.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters