United Nations, August 12: The United Nations stands ready to provide humanitarian support to the most vulnerable and affected communities in India, a spokesperson for the UN Secretary General has said amid heavy monsoon in the region.

“In neighbouring India, the monsoon there has reportedly claimed more than 770 lives. According to authorities, more than 500,000 people have been evacuated. The UN stands ready to provide humanitarian support to the most vulnerable and affected communities in India,” Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General António Guterres said.

Giving an update from UN humanitarian colleagues on flooding in Asia, Dujarric said in Bangladesh, people are experiencing the worst and longest monsoon flooding in years, with a quarter of the country being inundated.

At least 5.4 million people have been affected by severe flooding, with 11,000 households displaced and 135 people killed, he added.

Humanitarian partners are working with the Government of Bangladesh to provide food, shelter, clean water, hygiene supplies and other supplies.

A USD 40 million response plan has been launched to help the more than one million of the people most in need in the country.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)