Rising water in the Jamuna River has triggered severe erosion in Daulatpur upazila of Manikganj, with homesteads, cropland and rural infrastructure disappearing into the river. In the Jionpur union villages of Boro Lautara and Chonpara, at least 15 to 16 families have lost their homes in sudden erosion over recent days. Many affected families are now living under the open sky, while riverside residents report spending nights in fear and uncertainty.

Displaced residents Mokched Ali and Islam Uddin said the erosion had left them destitute and uncertain about where to go with their families. Local accounts say around 200 families and a century-old educational institution are under threat. Resident Ahammad Ali called for urgent placement of geo-bags, warning that homes, the main connecting road, a mosque, madrasa and other religious and social institutions could soon be lost.

Jionpur Union Parishad Chairman Atowar Rahman said the upazila administration and Bangladesh Water Development Board had been informed, with demands for temporary protection through geo-bags and a permanent embankment later. Bagutia chairman SM Amjad Hossain said more than 300 homes had already been lost in his union. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Silvia Snigdha said emergency steps would be taken after consulting relevant departments.

Waterlogging has returned to the Bhobdah area of Abhaynagar upazila in Jashore after persistent rain, flooding wide areas and homes, according to a report published on August 8, 2026. Houses, educational institutions, roads, seedbed fields and fish enclosures have been inundated, renewing concern among local residents.

Residents of Bhobdah spend about six months waterlogged each year, the report said. River and canal re-excavation had begun under army supervision this year, raising hopes of a permanent solution, but heavy rainfall at the start of the monsoon quickly raised water levels. Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Lipton Sardar said 220 fish enclosures were damaged, with preliminary losses estimated at about Tk17 crore.

Bhobdah Water Drainage Struggle Committee leader Iqbal Jahid said tidal river management implementation was also necessary, alongside river excavation. Jashore Water Development Board Executive Engineer Palash Banerjee said delayed dredging in Khornia caused temporary drainage problems. Nine sluice gates are open, he said, and water levels have fallen by about five to five-and-a-half inches. He expects significant improvement within 10 to 15 days if all gates are operating.

Japanese authorities ordered about 260,000 residents in the Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures to move to safe locations as powerful Typhoon No. 13 threatened the country’s southwest. More than 500 flights were cancelled on Friday because of adverse weather conditions. The report was published on August 7, 2026.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the Category 1 typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 144 kilometres per hour and gusts reaching 198 kilometres per hour. It was moving toward island chains between the Kyushu region and Okinawa Prefecture, bringing risks of strong winds, heavy rain and rough seas.

Toyota temporarily suspended production at nine factories on Friday for safety reasons. The weather agency warned that the storm could retain its strength as it moved toward Okinawa, potentially damaging or collapsing buildings and other structures. It also warned that linear rain bands could produce extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and a heightened risk of flash flooding. Temperatures in some areas could reach 36 degrees Celsius, prompting a heatstroke warning.

Bangladesh has launched its first food assistance programme for registered fishers dependent on the Sundarbans during the annual June-to-August ban on catching fish and other aquatic resources. Rice is being distributed to eligible fishers in Sundarbans-adjacent areas, including Mongla in Bagerhat, as the government enforces the three-month closure to protect fisheries, biodiversity and wildlife.

The breeding-season restriction covers rivers, canals and forest-adjacent waters of the Sundarbans and leaves thousands of forest-dependent fishers without work. Beneficiaries said the assistance has eased hardship for their families while fishing is prohibited, although they also called for alternative employment opportunities in the future.

Member of Parliament and State Minister Sheikh Faridul Islam said 6,662 tonnes of rice had been allocated for 8,271 registered fishers in Satkhira, Khulna, Bagerhat and Mongla. A fisheries official said food assistance should encourage compliance with the ban. Forest, fisheries and administrative authorities are conducting regular patrols and operations to prevent illegal fishing and crab collection.

Europe’s Rhine River, a major transport route for industry and trade, is facing severe drought and record-low water levels, disrupting cargo movement and raising costs. The report, published on August 7, 2026, said water levels fell this week to their lowest since official measurements began in 1880. Large vessels are carrying less freight, while cargo is being shifted in some places to smaller boats, trucks and rail, adding pressure to German industrial production.

The roughly 800-mile Rhine runs from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea through six countries and carries about 300 million tons of goods annually. In parts near Duisburg, water is only slightly more than four feet deep, forcing some ships to unload up to two-thirds of their cargo. The 564-foot W. D. Beijers Senior, which normally carries 5,000 tons of iron ore, is currently limited to 1,200 tons.

Low water has also affected the Danube, raising concerns over water used to cool nuclear reactors in Hungary and Romania. Research cited by the report estimates that a month of low-water conditions could cut German industrial output by about 1 percent. Companies have expanded storage and other preparations, but only a few of roughly 8,000 cargo ships on the Rhine are specially designed for shallow water.

Record drought has caused an unprecedented deterioration in France’s small rivers and waterways, with water flow disrupted or channels completely dry in 43 percent of them, according to the French Biodiversity Office. As of August 1, 1,373 small waterways across mainland France and Corsica were affected, a situation the agency described as the most critical seen at this time of year.

The assessment was based on data from the National Low Water Observatory Network, which operates 3,230 monitoring stations nationwide. Local broadcaster BFMTV reported that the number of affected waterways had increased by 554 since July 1. The French Biodiversity Office said all regions were affected, with rapid deterioration from the western Vendée department to the eastern Grand Est region and a spreading impact in south-central France.

The agency said conditions had surpassed the severe drought of 2022, with 112 more waterways experiencing disrupted flow or drying up. Compared with the same period in 2025, the situation had worsened by more than twice. France’s geological survey classified 60 percent of groundwater levels as moderate to very low as of July 15.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman ordered the rapid preparation and effective implementation of an integrated action plan to prevent pollution in rivers surrounding Dhaka. He issued the instruction at a meeting on Buriganga River water and environmental improvement at the Cabinet Division conference room in Bangladesh Secretariat on the morning of August 6.

The meeting discussed the environmental condition, pollution sources, challenges and long-term remedies for the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, Shitalakkhya and other rivers near the capital. Untreated industrial discharge, inadequate sewerage and drainage, reduced canal navigability, and weak solid-waste management were identified as major causes. The prime minister stressed effective operation of effluent treatment plants, improved canals and drainage, regular drives against polluters, strict enforcement of environmental laws, stronger coordination and public awareness.

The meeting decided to form an inter-agency coordination committee under the Prime Minister’s Office to prepare and implement the plan. It will coordinate ministries, divisions and agencies, review progress at set intervals and submit reports to the Prime Minister’s Office. Environmental groups, voluntary organizations, educational institutions and local residents were also directed to be involved.

Bangladesh’s government has launched a seed incentive programme to encourage flood-affected marginal farmers to resume cultivation in seven of the hardest-hit districts: Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Habiganj and Moulvibazar. The programme is set to cover 61,747 farmers, with an allocation of Tk 22.383 million and distribution of 3.87 tonnes of seed. Each listed farmer will receive up to five kilograms of seed for one bigha of land, regardless of total landholding.

Union- and upazila-level agricultural rehabilitation committees assessed losses and finalised beneficiary lists, prioritising the most marginal farmers. Farmers considered able to recover with their own resources were excluded from the initial list. Agricultural officials said those left out would receive priority in a future incentive programme.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, crops on 66,231 hectares were damaged in the seven districts. Farmers said the assistance was too limited compared with their losses and that many were seeking high-interest loans from non-governmental organisations to restart cultivation. The programme aims to rehabilitate affected farmers, sustain aman cultivation, raise production and support food security.

At least 14 people were killed by lightning in India’s Jharkhand state on Tuesday, August 4, amid ongoing monsoon rains. Local police said at least 10 of those killed were farmers in Giridih district who were working in crop fields in the open when lightning struck. Seven other people were injured in the incident.

The Indian Meteorological Department said heavy rainfall is likely in Jharkhand over the next several days, meaning the risk of lightning and adverse weather may continue. According to the department, more than 200 people died in Jharkhand alone in 2025, with most of those deaths caused by lightning.

Heavy seasonal rain has also increased casualties elsewhere in India this year. Severe flooding in the northeastern state of Assam has killed about 90 people so far. In the southern state of Kerala, at least 15 people have died in heavy rain, while thousands have been forced to leave their homes and move to safer shelters.

Active monsoon conditions kept rain falling in Dhaka from early Thursday and brought varying rainfall across Bangladesh, according to the Meteorological Department. In the 24 hours ending around 6am, Dhaka received 50 millimetres of rain, while Hatiya in Noakhali recorded the highest total at 198 millimetres. The agency said rain could continue nationwide through Thursday.

The department said a new low-pressure area may form over the central Bay of Bengal on August 10 and develop into a depression. Its effects could bring heavy to very heavy rain across the country from August 14. Meteorologist Dr Omar Faruk said rainfall may ease from Friday, with a possible break lasting until August 9, before increasing again from August 10 or 11.

Rain or thunderstorms with gusty winds are forecast in parts of all eight divisions on Thursday, with isolated heavy to very heavy falls possible. At 9am, the Teesta at Tarapur in Gaibandha and the Kushiyara at Fenchuganj in Sylhet were above danger levels. Water rose at 88 of 127 monitored stations.

Severe erosion along the Brahmaputra, Dharla, Dudhkumar and Teesta rivers has swept away at least 400 homes in Bangladesh’s Rangpur division over the past 30 days, according to a report published on August 6. At least 50 acres of farmland were also lost, leaving hundreds of families without homesteads. Residents in affected areas are dismantling and moving homes to safer places amid fears of further erosion.

Nearly 200 homes were lost in Nilphamari, 150 in Kurigram, 30 in Gaibandha, 17 in Gangachara of Rangpur, and 15 in Lalmonirhat. Fresh erosion has been reported at at least 40 locations across Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Rangpur districts in the Teesta and Brahmaputra basins. Affected residents alleged that the Bangladesh Water Development Board focused on inspections rather than effective protection measures.

Rangpur Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ruhul Amin said the LGED had been instructed to quickly repair damaged roads and that authorities had contacted the Disaster Management Ministry for special funding for roads in char areas. Water Development Board Executive Engineer Rabiul Islam said work had begun to place geobags in newly affected locations. Gangachara residents submitted a memorandum seeking road repairs, embankment protection and sustainable river management.

Heavy rainfall and upstream mountain runoff from India have pushed the Teesta River above its danger level at the Dalia point in Dimla, Nilphamari, on August 6. The Dalia Water Development Board said water was flowing 13 centimetres above the danger mark in the morning. Low-lying areas of Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat have begun to flood, raising fears among residents of river chars.

Nilphamari recorded average rainfall of 132 millimetres for the day, while 44 sluice gates were opened. Floodwater has entered low-lying parts of several unions in Dimla and Jaldhaka upazilas. Riverbank areas in Lalmonirhat also face the prospect of short-term flooding. Roads and cropland in char areas have started to go underwater, making boats and rafts the main means of travel in many places.

Residents said several days of heavy rainfall upstream in India, combined with continuous local rain over the past two days, worsened conditions. Flood-control embankments and elevated riverside roads are under pressure, with locals expressing concern over their durability because of inadequate repairs. Executive engineer Amitabh Chowdhury urged people living along the river and in char areas to remain alert.

Germany’s rivers are seeing steadily falling water levels amid a prolonged heatwave and lack of rainfall, with new record lows reported in many locations. Public broadcaster ARD said on Wednesday that rivers in different regions had reached alarming levels and that new lows were being recorded almost daily. The Federal Institute of Hydrology said many rivers had fallen below their “low-water threshold” unusually early this year.

According to the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration, the Rhine at the Kaub gauge, between Mainz and Koblenz in southwestern Germany, fell to 24 centimetres. That was 1 centimetre below the previous record set in 2018. On Wednesday morning, Rhine water levels in the Cologne and Duisburg areas also dropped below earlier record lows, while Düsseldorf matched its 2018 record-low level.

The situation is also serious in the eastern city of Magdeburg, where the Elbe at the Magdeburg-Strombrück gauge reached its previous record low of 45 centimetres. It was expected to fall further to 40 centimetres by Friday. Forecasts indicated that rainfall shortages could drive the Rhine lower in coming days. Water-cycle and management expert Klaus Retzsch called for fundamental changes in water management to address climate-change-related water scarcity.

Bangladesh’s Meteorological Department said a new low-pressure area may form over the central Bay of Bengal on August 10 and later deepen into a depression. Its effects could bring heavy to very heavy rainfall across the country from August 14. Meteorologist Dr Omar Faruk said rain would continue nationwide on Thursday, then ease from Friday through August 9 before increasing again on August 10 and 11.

Active monsoon conditions brought rain across Bangladesh on Wednesday and may continue on Thursday. The Bangladesh Weather Observation Team said a partial rain belt called “Nirjhar” could make rainfall most intense on Thursday. By 6 pm Wednesday, Netrokona recorded the highest rainfall at 141 millimetres, followed by Hatiya with 140 millimetres and Cox’s Bazar with 136 millimetres.

The department forecast rain or thundershowers with gusty winds in most places across all eight divisions on Thursday, with moderately heavy to heavy falls in some areas. Water levels at Dalia on the Teesta and Fenchuganj on the Kushiyara were above danger levels. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre warned of flood risks in several districts within 24 to 48 hours and possible inundation of low-lying areas in several basins within 48 to 120 hours.

Several hours of heavy rain on Tuesday morning flooded sections of the Dhaka-Bogura highway in Sherpur, Bogura, leaving knee-deep to waist-deep water in Dharmakam, Hamchayapur and Kathaltala under Shahbandegi Union. Traffic on the important northern highway was severely disrupted, with long queues causing hardship for passengers, transport workers and local residents.

Water covered parts of the road so extensively that the boundary between the highway and drains was difficult to identify. Buses, trucks, microbuses, private cars, motorcycles and CNG autorickshaws moved slowly through the water, while several motorcycles and CNG vehicles broke down, worsening congestion. Roads in Sherpur municipal town and homes and rural roads in several villages were also inundated.

Residents blamed uncleaned roadside drains, rubbish blockages, filled canals and inadequate drainage planning for the recurring problem. They called for drains and canals to be cleared and for an effective modern drainage system. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Saiduzzaman Himu said the issue was being treated seriously, relevant departments had been asked to act, and steps would be taken for rapid drainage and a permanent solution.