Deadly Floods Strike Troubled Bangladesh

Floods in Bangladesh have killed at least 13 people and affected millions of others in the country’s northeast, adding to the challenges of an interim government struggling to return order to a country plunged into anarchy after mass protests forced out its autocratic leader.

The regions of Feni and Cumilla were worst hit, the country’s ministry of disaster management and relief said. Communication lines have been affected, with almost all cellphone towers losing electricity. Rail service has been suspended and roads have been damaged, hampering delivery of emergency aid. Bangladesh’s army and navy have been deployed for rescue operations.

Residents described water levels beyond any they had seen in recent years.

“I can recall a flood in 2004, but as I remember the water level wasn’t this high,” said Ahmed Farabee, 27, a resident of Noakhali, one of the worst-affected areas, where he estimated that 90 percent of homes were flooded with knee-high water. “This time, the rainwater couldn’t drain properly because the canals and wetlands are full,” he said.

The floods hit the country just weeks after its long-serving prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, was toppled by a student-led protest movement. Her crackdown, before she relinquished power and fled the country, left hundreds dead.

An interim government led by the Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which includes representatives of the protesters, is trying to restore order to what was a dangerous and violent vacuum. The natural disaster adds to the government’s long list of challenges, including discredited law enforcement, an economy in a downward spiral and a banking sector on the verge of collapse.

People surrounded the country’s water management body early Thursday, protesting