The overall flood situation in the north and northeast districts of the county deteriorated on Friday as the rising major rivers and its tributaries coupled with heavy rain inundated vast tracts in many areas, leaving thousands of people marooned.
In Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, flood situation has deteriorated further due to swelling of major rivers caused by continuous rain and the onrush of water from the upstream. Thousands of people were marooned in 15 upazilas in Sylhet and Sunamganj as flood water inundated their homesteads.
People in the flood-hit areas are facing acute food and pure drinking water crisis. The government relief allocated in the flood-hit areas is quite insufficient to meet the needs of the affected people.
Besides, houses and vast tracts of crops land in low lying areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur and Kurigram districts went under water. The flood waters are also now destroying matured crops, seedbeds, cattle farm and poultry in those affected districts.
With the rise of water level in the river, the river erosion has taken serious turn at many points of the affected districts, creating serious panic among the affected people. According to the numerical weather forecast of meteorological agencies, there is chance of medium to heavy rainfall (somewhere very heavy) at some places of the northern and north-eastern regions of the country along with adjoining states of Assam, Meghalaya and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal of India in next 48 hours. As result the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the Ganges-Padma, the Surma, the Kushiyara, the Teesta, the Dharla, the Dudkumar and all other major rivers may continue rising in next 24 hours.
People in the flood-hit areas are
facing acute food and pure drinking water crisis
On the other hand, this year's Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations scheduled to begin on June 19 was postponed on Friday due to the worsening flood situation around the country. Besides, the authorities of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have declared the campus closed till June 25 as many places of institution went under
flood waters.
The authorities concerned should start distributing handmade breads and cooked foods, purified water and handmade oral saline to the flood-hit people immediately. Packets of dry food will also have to be sent to every flood-affected district alongside food grains. Besides, medical teams of the health ministry should work there round the clock.
Tents will also be set up in shelter centres as the flood waters have already rendered a large number of people homeless. A total of 628 points in the country’s northern, northeaster and southeastern parts have been identified as vulnerable to flooding. Of those, 26 points are highly vulnerable. Necessary measures must be taken to make 521 points free from the risk of flooding. Apart from the government, non-government and volunteer organisations, local lawmakers, public representatives and affluent people will also have to work hand in hand to face the current flood as the situation may worsen in those districts.
