Staff Reporter :The flood situation has started improving in low laying areas adjacent to Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers at Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogra and Dharla in Kurigram. The flood situation in Sirajganj is likely to improve in the next 72 hours, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) sources. The situation in Udakhali, Urya, Kanchipara and Gozaria unions under Fulchhari upazila and Boali and Badiakhali unions under Sadar upazila of Gaibandha deteriorated as the water level of the Brahmaputra entered the unions through the breaches of the flood control embankments. Over three lakh people of Sundarganj, Sadar, Fulchhari and Shaghata upazilas of the district had been marooned due to the flood creating untold suffering to the flood victims. The sources revealed that river water increased at 46 points, fell at 39 points and flowing above the danger level at 18 points. During the last 10 days of flood, over 6.74 lakh people in 55 unions and seven municipality areas in seven upazilas of the district are badly affected. The FFWC sources said, water level of the rivers surrounding the capital are in rising trend. The rising trend of the Buriganga, the Turag, the Balu and the Lakhya are likely to continue in next 24 hours. The Padma river likely to rise in next 48 hours, which may cause slightly deterioration of flood situation in low lands adjacent to Rajbari, Manikganj, Munshiganj and Sariatpur districts. The Brahmaputra-the Jamuna and the Surma-the Kushiyara are in falling state. The Ganges is in steady state while the Padma is in rising state. In Kurigram, the flood situation is now in a state neither improving nor worsening as the Brahmaputra and the Dharla are still flowing above their respective danger level. More than six lakh people have remained stranded due to flood while 30 villages have been submerged. Kurigram WDB sources said, the Brahmaputra is flowing 65 cm above its danger level at Chilmari point while the Dharla 54 cm above its danger level at Kurigram bridge point on Sunday. In Gaibandha, two more unions of Gaibandha Sadar upazila have been flooded. A portion of Flood Control Sonail Embankment in Chuniakandi area of Boali union washed away on Sunday. Sources said a portion of flood control embankment in Sigria of Udakhali uinon in Fulchhari upazila washed away due to the extreme pressure of current of the Brahmaputra. As a result, Udakhali, Urya, Kanchipara and Gozaria unions of Fulchhari upazila and a partial of Boali and Badiakhali unions of Gaibandha sadar upazila were submerged. The flood affected people in different districts have alleged irregularities in distributing relief. Around 100,000 flood affected people at Chilmari in Kurigram have been living in miserable life since last 14 days. They are depending only on the relief foods. They alleged that the Disaster Management and Relief ministry have allocated 163 tonnes of rice to distribute among 30,000 marooned people. According to the ward councilors office they have listed the families to distribute 10 kg rice for each family. But the distressed people have received only 6 kg rice. They have involved with the local members of the council in this regard. They also alleged that the water purification tables, oral saline are not distributing according to the directives of the government. They said that the six upazilas that are mostly affected, Nayarhat, Chilmari, Ostomirchar, Ramna, Thanahat and Raniganj. The Upazila office is supposed to distribute a packet comprising with 10 kg rice, 1 kg sugar, 1 kg chira, half kg puffed rice, saline, matches and water purification tablets. Many of them have returned with empty handed as the members claimed the storage has been finished. The two days when the Relief Minister visited the area they have received some relief. After that they did not get any relief from there, said Azimunnessa. Upazila relief officer claimed that some irregularities happened but not as much as they affected people alleged. The local councilor members know every family in the area. They have listed the families living in this area. They have distributed the relief according to their list. The relief have been distributed among 16, 500 people so far. The National Health Crisis Management Center and Control Room of Health Department sources said, in last seven days more new areas were flooded. The mostly affected areas are 53 unions in Jamalpur district. In last seven days, 16 people died and 206 people affected on different kinds of diseases. Most of them have been suffering on Diarrhea, suffocation, thundering, snakebite, drowning, skin diseases, ophthalmology and others. Our Sariatpur correspondent adds: 7000 families in four upazilas have gone under flood water. They have lost all their living abode. At Jajira upazilas, 400 families in 18 villages, 100 families in Naria upazila, 130 families in Vadorganj upazila have lost everything due to the flood. The affected people are suffering miserable life in the area. They are suffering for foods, drinking water, straw for the domestic animals. In Jajira and Noriya, 33 schools have been shut down. The people with their domestic animals are living on a hanging bamboo made raft. Some people have taken shelter on high lands with their cattle. Meanwhile, 11 unions in Sariatpur Sadar and Sadar pourosava inundated with fresh water as the Krittinasha and Arialkah river waters are rising. The District administration called for an emergency meeting at the District Administration office on Sunday aiming to management of the flood situation in the district. Deputy Commissioner Mahmudul Hossain Khan presided over the meeting.
