In India and Bangladesh, millions of people are waiting for fresh drinking water and food as a result of severe flooding.

A particularly heavy monsoon flooded entire villages and towns.

In the northeastern Indian state of Assam, many residents had to abandon their homes after the Brahmaputra, one of Asia's largest rivers, burst its banks there.

Thousands of buildings have been submerged in the floods, green paddy fields have turned into mud deserts, schools and hospitals have been inundated with brown water.

Dozens of people have died in the floods.

According to Indian media reports, 73 people died in Assam alone.

However, it is difficult to assess the situation, as many areas are currently inaccessible.

There were other deaths as a result of landslides and lightning strikes.

effects of climate change

A total of 4.5 million people in north-east India are said to be affected by the consequences of the flood.

Now the flood victims are gathering in overcrowded emergency camps.

The Indian Army is helping with the rescue work.

Local residents travel in boats and self-made rafts.

In the inaccessible areas, rescue workers dropped aid packages.

In neighboring Bangladesh, the heavy rains also caused rivers to turn into torrents.

In Sylhet on the border with India, there is talk of the worst flooding in history to date.

Some areas are more than 90 percent under water.

Tens of thousands of people were accommodated in emergency shelters.

According to UNICEF, four million people in Bangladesh are now in need of immediate assistance, including 1.6 million children.

"The children urgently need clean water," said Sheldon Yett of the United Nations Children's Fund.

diseases must be prevented.

The organization wants to collect donations of 2.5 million dollars for emergency aid.

Bangladesh is one of the countries that are particularly struggling with the consequences of climate change.

Large areas are only just above sea level.

According to the World Bank, by 2050 one in seven citizens could be forced to leave their homes because of climate change.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina flew over the disaster area in a helicopter on Tuesday.

Floods like these are "nothing new" for Bangladesh, the prime minister said, according to The Daily Star newspaper.

The country has to live with such natural disasters.

She promised quick help for the flood areas.