More than 70 per cent of the nearly 480,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled to Bangladesh are without adequate shelter and half have no safe drinking water, Oxfam warned today.

Heavy rains and floods in camps have left people facing extreme hardships, and have slowed down the building of emergency shelters, clean water tanks, and the delivery of aid.

Paolo Lubrano, Oxfam Bangladesh’s Humanitarian Co-ordinator, said: ‘It is truly terrible to see the level of need there is among people here. People are living in make shift tents under heavy rains. Tens of thousands don’t have food or clean water. If they are very lucky they have some plastic sheeting to take shelter under – but most of the time families are huddled under sarongs. These people urgently need help.

‘Most camps are flooded, including Katupalong and Balukhali where Oxfam works. For people forced to flee, this is absolutely devastating – they have crossed one torrential river, just to be confronted by insecurity and pouring rain.

‘Women and children are particularly vulnerable, sleeping under open skies, roadsides, and forest areas with little or no protection.’

A humanitarian flight carrying 15 tonnes of supplies left Oxfam’s warehouse on 22 September. Materials include water pumps, material for the construction of emergency latrines and water tanks. Two more humanitarian flights are planned with additional supplies.

Since August 25, nearly 480,000 Rohingya people have crossed over to Bangladesh’s South-Eastern districts resulting in a massive humanitarian crisis. Of these it is estimated that over 340,000 have inadequate shelter and about 240,000 have no clean water.

Oxfam’s response has reached nearly 100,000 people with clean drinking water, emergency toilets, water pumps and food rations. Oxfam is planning to help more than 200,000 people during the first phase of its response. Oxfam is also supporting the government and humanitarian partners to ensure camps newly established will meet the necessary humanitarian standards.

Due to the volatile and chaotic situation, Oxfam is concerned about abuse and exploitation of women and girls. Privacy, health, and hygiene for women, girls and nursing mothers are compromised, and measures must be taken to prevent any form of sexual violence.

- Ends -

For media enquiries, please contact:

Sarah Chu (Senior Communications Officer)
Telephone: (852) 3120 5280 / (852) 9276 0064
Email: sarah.chu@oxfam.org.hk

Maggie Chum (Communications Officer)
Telephone: (852) 3120 5222 / (852) 6010 9961
Email: maggie.chum@oxfam.org.hk

A father carries his son across a broken bamboo bridge on the edge of Balukhali camp, Bangladesh. Three days of heavy rains flooded many of the areas where people had set up temporary shelters, forcing them to move to higher ground. photo: Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville

A woman carries a jar of water up a muddy slope in Balukhali camp, where thousands of Rohingyas are now living. photo: Tommy Trenchard/Panos

Fifteen tonnes of vital water and sanitation equipment – valued at close to HK$690,000 – was loaded onto trucks at the Oxfam Supply Centre and flown to Bangladesh on 22 September, 2017. photo: Bekki Frost/Oxfam

Fifteen tonnes of vital water and sanitation equipment – valued at close to HK$690,000 – was loaded onto trucks at the Oxfam Supply Centre and flown to Bangladesh on 22 September, 2017 photo: Bekki Frost/Oxfam

A Rohingya man carries a bag of donated food aid in Balukhali camp, Bangladesh. photo: Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville

Oxfam monitoring the construction work of emergency latrines at block C2, Lambashiya, Ukiya, Cox's Bazar. Oxfam monitoring the construction work of emergency latrines at block C2, Lambashiya, Ukiya, Cox's Bazar.

A father carries his son across a broken bamboo bridge on the edge of Balukhali camp, Bangladesh. Three days of heavy rains flooded many of the areas where people had set up temporary shelters, forcing them to move to higher ground. photo: Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville A woman carries a jar of water up a muddy slope in Balukhali camp, where thousands of Rohingyas are now living. photo: Tommy Trenchard/Panos Fifteen tonnes of vital water and sanitation equipment – valued at close to HK$690,000 – was loaded onto trucks at the Oxfam Supply Centre and flown to Bangladesh on 22 September, 2017. photo: Bekki Frost/Oxfam Fifteen tonnes of vital water and sanitation equipment – valued at close to HK$690,000 – was loaded onto trucks at the Oxfam Supply Centre and flown to Bangladesh on 22 September, 2017 photo: Bekki Frost/Oxfam A Rohingya man carries a bag of donated food aid in Balukhali camp, Bangladesh. photo: Aurélie Marrier d'Unienville Oxfam monitoring the construction work of emergency latrines at block C2, Lambashiya, Ukiya, Cox's Bazar. Oxfam monitoring the construction work of emergency latrines at block C2, Lambashiya, Ukiya, Cox's Bazar.