Bangladesh Flooding Worsens; Rain Grounds Relief Copters
Heavy rain flooded more of Bangladesh today and forced relief helicopters to abandon their missions to stricken areas, officials said.
They said a helicopter carrying President Hossain Mohammad Ershad on a tour of the northeast had to land in the remote village of Bhaluka after being caught in a downpour.
Ershad was stranded in the village for two hours and then returned to Dhaka when the rain briefly relented, an aide told Reuters.
He said none of Bangladesh’s five military helicopters equipped for relief operations could take off because of the rain. Two Indian air force helicopters helping relief work were also out of action with engine trouble.
Officials said floods swept across Laximpur and Netrokona districts in the east and Barisal in the south.
The latest floods were fed by the Brahmaputra River, which burst its banks again Thursday night after remaining within its course for 24 hours.
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