Sylhet Correspondent :
The flood situation has worsened further in Sylhet region as waters in the Surma and Kushiyara rivers continue to swell snapping communication. Nearly three lakh people of the districts are now facing a crisis of food and drinking water.
In Sylhet, people in 1,188 villages of the two districts are affected by floods.
At least 500 educational institutions have been shut down while the authorities opened 44 shelters for more than a thousand families.
Many people, especially children, have been infected by water-borne diseases, reports our correspondents.
The water level of the Surma is rising while the Kushiyara is still flowing above the danger level.
The water levels may start decreasing today, according to the flood forecasting and warning centre.
People living at Bhadeswar area of Golapganj said they were suffering from many diseases, mostly skin diseases, since they were having to wade through dirty flood water. They were even unable to go to the upazila health complex for treatment as road communication with the upazila sadar had been snapped.
Children were suffering from respiratory problems and pneumonia, said Safiqul Islam, upazila health officer of Fenchuganj. Doctors fear that there may be an outbreak of diarrhoea before the water starts receding.
Waters flowing over the Surma and Kushiara flooded several hundred villages in Zakiganj, Fenchuganj, Beanibazar, Golapganj, Osmaninagar and Balaganj upazilas in the last seven days.
In Moulvibazar, villages in Juri, Kulaura and Barlekha upazilas have recently been inundated.
Abdul Kasem, 58, of Kathaltoli village in Barlekha, said flood was triggered by heavy rain in the last few days. Water from the Kushiara started to enter our home since the Eid day on June 26, he added.
Moirun Begum, 65, of Mirshankar village under Kulaura upazila, said more than 10 houses in the area were flooded. Helpless villagers took shelter on government roads.
Safi Alam Yunus, mayor of Kulaura municipality area, said thousands of families living along the river banks were anxious about losing their cropland and homestead.
