Millions of people affected by floods in Bangladesh

A large area in the northern part of Bangladesh is affected by torrential flooding.

About 1.5 million people are either stranded or have moved to temporary shelters.

It informs authorities in the country on Tuesday.

already has this year's monsoon rains, which began last month, put about a third of the particularly vulnerable areas of Bangladesh under water, writes the news agency AFP.

- This is the worst flooding in ten years, says the head of the Bangladesh varselscenter of flooding, Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan.

He estimates that in the worst case, 40 percent of the country can be flooded, if the several rivers going over their banks.

this year, the south asian country experienced higher rainfall than usual.

The two great rivers Brahmaputra and Ganges, are expected to continue to run their banks in the coming weeks.

In the northern and central Bangladesh is the water level in the Brahmaputra almost 40 centimetres above the normal level.

At present, 17 of Bangladesh's 64 districts were flooded. It is expected that a further six districts in Bangladesh can be affected if the amount of water in the rivers continues to rise.

Over 20,000 people have evacuated from the affected areas.

the Images on the tv shows the inhabitants carry their belongings through water that reaches them to the chest.

One of them is the farmer Abdur Rashid, 35 years. He has sent his wife and his children to a school that has been converted into temporary shelters for the locals who are affected by the floods.

- my Whole house is under water. I have sent the rest of the family to the school, but has even been back to take care of our belongings, he said to AFP.

Hundreds of rivers will cross through Bangladesh, which is experiencing floods virtually every year, when the monsoon rages between June and september.

In 1998, two-thirds of the country flooded for two months. It caused major destruction.