The flood situation in Sherpur, Jamalpur, Netrakona and Mymensingh districts continued to improve as rainfall and upstream water flow decreased along with the fall in the water levels in various rivers. The water has begun to recede from the homesteads, prompting some families to return home from shelters.
The vast areas of many upazilas of Sherpur, Jamalpur, Netrakona and Mymensingh districts were inundated caused by heavy rain and onrush of upstream water from Meghalaya in India, leaving thousands of people stranded.
The deluge left different upazilas of the affected districts a trail of devastation in different upagitas of the affected districts.. The flood uncovered a landscape of widespread devastation dotted by shattered homes, educational institutions, business establishments and other infrastructures, washed-out farmland and broken roads.
Although the situation shows signs of improvement, the miseries of tens of thousands of people in the affected areas are far from over. Many people returned home from shelters and saw their houses completely destroyed in the flood.
Besides, a large number of houses are still waterlogged while croplands are under threat of severe river erosion. The worst-affected families are worrying over a return to normal life as they remain stranded far from home in makeshift shelters.
The affected people are passing days in extreme misery amid an acute crisis of food and pure drinking water and the spread of waterborne diseases. All concerned particularly the field-level administration must take prompt measures to ease the sufferings of the flood-affected people.
We still see the flood victims are desperately looking for relief, especially in the remote area. Besides, the risk of an outbreak of diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases is also high in flood-affected areas.
Worst-affected families are worrying over a return
to normal life as they remain
stranded far from home in makeshift
shelters
The local administration will have to intensify distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas. Simultaneously, the department of health must undertake quick steps to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases in flood-affected areas.
The flood-hit people do not have cash to repair their damaged houses, business establishments and other infrastructures or purchase food. The affected people are also being compelled to sell their cattle as it has become very difficult for them to feed their livestock.
The authorities concerned must help the flood victims in repairing the damaged houses on an emergency basis. The damaged and affected educational institutions, business establishments, important infrastructures, roads and embankment will have to be repaired immediately to protect the lives and livelihood of people.
The late August floods caused damage worth an estimated Tk 14,421.46 crore in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Feni, Khagrachhari, Cox's Bazar, Cumilla, Noakhali, Chattogram, Lakshmipur, and Brahmanbaria distrct, says CPD study. The study highlighted that the damage was equivalent to 1.81 percent of the national budget and 0.26 percent of the projected GDP for FY25.
As Bangladesh is a riverine country, a large number of people are living across the riverbank and char areas. These people are affected by floods almost every year.
The flood waters are also now destroying matured crops, seedbeds, cattle farms and poultry in those affected districts. Road communications in different upazilas snapped due to flash floods, with suffering of inhabitants mounting.
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 will also have to work there round the clock.
