More areas inundated with floodwater
Two million people marooned
Flood-affected face food crisis
Rains may continue for next 5 days
Flood situation in most of the districts in Sylhet division, Haor areas and the country’s north region deteriorated further on Thursday.
Water levels of most of the rivers in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj Mymensingh, Netrokona, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts had also been above the danger marks.
As a result more areas of the districts were inundated with the flood water leaving around two millions of people trapped and marooned.
For the same reason, the water trapped people had been suffering from food crisis.
Officials concern said the flood situation might have worsened further as continuous heavy downpour may continue for five more days.
In the circumstances, the government has postponed the HSC examination, which is scheduled to be started from June 30, till July 8.
In Sylhet district floods have invaded more areas in the district leaving over 15 lakh people marooned. Assistant Commissioner of Sylhet district administration Md Omar Sani said on Thursday, said only in Sylhet district, at least 130 out of 153 municipalities and unions have been flooded.
He added that 698 shelters have been prepared, with 21,700 people taking refuge in 361 of them.
However, water levels in the city and rivers have not decreased slightly as there was no rain on Thursday.
According to the Sylhet Meteorological Office, 55 millimetres of rain fell between 6am and 9am on Wednesday, with an additional 20 millimetres recorded between 6am and noon on Thursday.
Shah Md Sajib, assistant meteorologist at the Sylhet Meteorological Office, noted that heavy rain is expected in the next two days as there are still clouds in the sky.
Meanwhile, visiting the district on the day, State Minister for Water Resources Zahid Faruk Shamim said, “Sylhet is experiencing frequent flooding due to the Surma River being silted up. It will be dredged soon.”
“Nine dredging stations are being established across the country to manage river erosion and silt removal regularly”, he added.
Food shortage, health services disruption
Many residents of the flood affected Companiganj area said, the water didn’t rise on Thursday as the downpour stopped, but our homes are still submerged up to the throat. It will take a long time for the water to recede.”
They said that they have taken shelter at a relief centre, but there was a shortage of cooked food. As a result, they were surviving on dry food.
Companiganj upazila administration reported that water has infiltrated the upazila parishad office and health complex as well, disrupting services.
The Water Development Board reported that at 6am on Thursday, the water level of the Kushiyara River at Amalsid Point was 16.27 cm, dropping to 16.26 cm by 11am.
The Surma River at Kanaighat Point was at 13.59 cm at 6am and 13.55 cm at 11am, both below the danger level of 12.75 cm.
At Sylhet Point, the Surma River was at 11.14 cm at 6am and 11.07 cm at 11 am, with the danger level being 10.80 cm.
Flood situation may remain unchanged
The flood situation in some low-lying areas of Netrakona district and Sylhet, Sunamganj districts in the northeastern part of the country may remain unchanged in 24 hours commencing 9 am on Thursday.
The flood situation in Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts along the low-lying areas of Manu-Khwai river may improve, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
Except Surma, major rivers in the North-eastern region of the country are in rising trend which may continue in the next 24 hours.
The Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers are in rising trend and may continuously rise for the next72 hours with a chance of reaching the Warning Level at some points.
Besides, the Padma river is in rising trend, which may continue in next 48 hours, it said.
The water level of Dudhkumar, Teesta and Dharla rivers in the northern part of the country may rise and flashflood may hit some low-lying areas of Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur districts.
River Teesta may cross danger level at Dalia Point in next 24 hours for a short period of time.
According to the information from meteorological organizations, medium to heavy rainfall is expected over the northern and adjoining upstream region and heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over the north-eastern, northern and adjoining upstream parts of the country in 24 to 48 hours, it added.
Rrivers in Moulvibazar flowing above danger level
In Moulvibazar, six among seven upazilas in the districts have been inundated due to the incessant rains and onrush of water from upstream, leaving nearly two lakh people stranded.
All the rivers in the district have been flowing above the danger level, flooding 432 villages of 37 unions of Moulvibazar Sadar, Rajnagar, Kulaura, Juri, Baralekha and Srimangal upazilas of the district.
Most of the rural roads in the flood-affected areas are submerged and many parts of regional roads also went under water.
Houses and educational institutions are also flooded. Many were seen throwing sandbags on the embankment voluntarily to protect their homes.
Moulvibazar Water Development Board reported that the water of Manu river was 21 cm above the danger level in Chandnighat area of the city, Kushiara river was 18 cm above the danger level at Sherpur point, Dhalai river was 5 cm above the danger level and Juri river was 202 cm above the danger level.
Urmi Binte Salam, deputy commissioner of Moulavibazar district, said that 432 villages of 6 upazilas of the district were flooded due to constant rains for the past few days.
A total of 98 shelters have been prepared to accommodate the people. So far 571 families at risk have moved to these shelters, she added.
Meanwhile, continuous heavy rainfall over the past few days have left Sylhet district flooded as well, with more than 8 lakh people stranded.
“Around 825,256 people are stranded in 106 unions of the district,” Sylhet district administration sources said on Wednesday afternoon.
Teesta crosses danger mark as major rivers swell in Gaibandha
Water levels in all the major rivers flowing through the district rose sharply in last 24 hours till Wednesday evening due to incessant rain and onrush of hilly water from the upstream.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) office sources said the water level of the Brahmaputra increased by 50cm while the Teesta by 30cm, the Karotoa by 30cm and the Ghagot by 48cm during the period.
The Brahmaputra at Fulchharighat point was flowing 90 cm, the Karotoa at Katakhali point 263cm and the Ghagot at New Bridge Road point 177cm below their respective danger levels while the Teesta was flowing 13 cm over the danger level at Kawnia point.
With the rise of water level in the rivers, the low-lying areas of the chars and the Brahmaputra river basin under Sundarganj, Sadar, Fulchhari and Shaghata have been inundated making the chars and river basin people worried.
Md. Saddam Hossain Paban, a social worker of Kamarjani Bandar area under Sadar upazila, said water level of the Brahmaputra river rose sharply flooding the low-lying areas of the river basins of Kamarjani union.
A good number of people of the union have been marooned and were passing their days and nights miserably, he also said.
Md. Matiar Rahman, chairman of the Union Parishad (UP), said he informed the officials of the administration about the update of the flood situation in the union.
Md. Hafizul Haque, executive engineer of BWDB, said 13.50 mm rainfall was recorded in last 24 hours till Wednesday 6 pm.
He said that if the Brahmaputra and the Ghagot rivers continue to rise due to rain, the rivers would cross their danger levels very soon.
As the rivers are in the rising trend, the officials and the employees had been kept alert so that none could cause damage to the flood control embankments to inundate fresh areas of the main land, he added.
They were watching the situation closely and always maintaining communication with the local public representatives, the elite, and journalists about the flood situation, he said.
The district and the upazila administrations are fully ready to face the flood situation in the district taking relief materials, said assistant commissioner and acting district relief and rehabilitation officer (DRRO) Md. Jewel Miah.
