In Pictures

In Pictures: Monsoon floods wreak havoc in South Asia

One-third of impoverished Bangladesh under water in one of the worst deluges to hit the region in recent years.

This aerial view shows inundate houses at Dohar in Dhaka District, on July 20, 2020. - The death toll from heavy monsoon rains across South Asia has climbed to nearly 200, officials said on July 19, a — Flooded houses in Dhaka's Dohar district, Bangladesh. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has warned of a humanitarian crisis deepening in South Asia due to the floods. [Munir Uz zaman/AFP]

South Asia is battling torrential monsoon rains which have pounded the region for weeks, causing widespread flooding, killing more than 250 people so far.

At least 81 people have died in flood-prone Bangladesh, where almost one-third of the impoverished nation is under water in one of the worst deluges in recent years.

Since Nepal’s monsoon season began last month, landslides, flooding and lightning have killed at least 131 people and left 48 others missing as incessant rainfall since Sunday inundated parts of the southern plains.

In India’s northeastern state of Assam, the death toll since the start of July has passed 60, with nearly three million people displaced.

In India’s Bihar state, at least nine rivers swollen by heavy downpours in Nepal rose beyond their danger levels and inundated many villages.

Bangladesh officials have warned of an extended disaster.

“The flood has been going on for at least 20 days,” the deputy chief of Bangladesh’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, Udoy Raihan, told AFP news agency, adding that flooding usually lasted two weeks.

“And it is likely [to] continue for another 10 days due to heavy rains in Bangladesh and India.”

The annual monsoon is critical for replenishing water supplies, but also wreaks havoc across vast swaths of South Asia, causing widespread death and damage.

Floods, landslides and lightning strikes between June and September kill hundreds every year in the densely populated region.

Commuters make their way through a water-logged street after a heavy downpour in Dhaka on July 21, 2020. - The death toll from heavy monsoon rains across South Asia has climbed to nearly 200, official — Commuters make their way through a waterlogged street after a heavy downpour in Dhaka. Close to one-third of Bangladesh has already been flooded, with forecasts of worse flooding in the coming days. [Munir Uz zaman/AFP]

A flood-affected man moves jute plants to process in Jamalpur, Bangladesh, July 18, 2020. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain — Nearly three million people have been affected in Bangladesh, including more than a million who remain isolated and surrounded by floodwaters, according to its Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]

Commuters move through a water-logged street after heavy rain in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 21, 2020. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain — Officials warned that flooding will persist in Bangladesh for the next 10 days. 'The last time we saw such [a] flood was in 1998. We haven't seen such dangerous floods since then,' Sheikh Moslem, 66, told AFP. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]

Nepalese people takes photos on the banks of flooded Bagmati river in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, July 21, 2020. Landslides and flooding caused by continuous heavy rainfall has blocked the main highway — Nepalese people on the banks of the flooded Bagmati River in Kathmandu. At least 84 people have died in the Himayalan nation as multiple landslides ravaged its hilly districts while incessant rainfall inundated parts of the southern plains. [Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo]

Nepalese people sit outside their flooded house on the bank of Bagmati river following heavy monsoon rains in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, July 20, 2020. The weather department has has forecast heavy rai — People sit outside their flooded house following heavy monsoon rains in Kathmandu. 'Rescue and relief efforts are going on and we are on alert for areas at risk,' Nepal's National Emergency Operation Centre chief Murari Wasti said. [Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo]

Residents use buckets to remove water entering in their house after the Bagmati River overflowed following monsoon rains in Kathmandu on July 20, 2020. - The death toll from heavy monsoon rains across — Residents use buckets to remove water flowing into their house after the Bagmati River in Nepal burst its banks. The government has issued a fresh warning about rising river levels for the next three days. [Prakash Mathema/AFP]

epa08558007 A young girl walks under an umbrella as a heavy rainfall floods Bhaktapur, Nepal, 21 July 2020. Meteorologists warned of heavy monsoon rains in Nepal that put several parts of the country — A young girl walks under an umbrella as heavy rainfall floods Nepal's Bhaktapur. The IFRC said flooding and landslides have already killed almost 110 people in the country. [Narendra Shrestha/EPA]

Children walk past cattle on an embankment in a flooded area in Morigaon district, in the northeastern state of Assam, India, July 20, 2020. REUTERS/David Talukdar TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY — Children walk past cattle on an embankment in a flooded area in Morigaon district, in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. At the World Heritage Site, Kaziranga National Park, 116 animals have died so far, including nine rare one-horned rhinos. [David Talukdar/Reuters]

epa08551695 A man rows his boat near partially submerged houses in Morigaon district of Assam, India, 17 July 2020. According to news reports, Assam state continues to battle with flood situation whic — A man rows his boat near partially submerged houses in the Morigaon district of Assam. According to news reports, Assam state continues to battle with floods that have left more than three million people displaced and at least 60 dead. [EPA]

epa08554576 Flood affected villagers sit under a temporary shelter during rainfall in a flood affected area in Morigaon district of Assam, India, 19 July 2020. According to news reports, Assam state c — Villagers sit under a temporary shelter during rainfall in a flood-affected area in the Morigaon district of Assam. [EPA]

A boy transports a pot on a makeshift raft through a flooded area in Morigaon district, in the northeastern state of Assam, India, July 20, 2020. REUTERS/David Talukdar — A boy on a makeshift raft makes his way through a flooded area in Assam, India. Many villagers whose homes were not fully submerged said they preferred to stay with their belongings despite the difficult conditions. [David Talukdar/Reuters]