Staff Reporter :The flood situation in the northern part of the country improved slightly on Friday, but deteriorated in the central and Southern part. Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 17 after two children drowned in Comilla and one in Kurigram on Saturday.In a press briefing at its Mohakhali office, Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Md Shah Kamal said, the flood situation in the Northern part of the country showed sign of improvement, but deteriorated in the central and Southern part of the country. Some 14.75 lakh people and 3.93 lakh families have been marooned due to the flood, said Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya on Saturday at the press conference. The Minister said, one fourth of the country is under flood water, abound 309 unions, 59 upazilas and 16 districts have been affected, 14,75,615 people of 3,93,496 families marooned. 9,314 houses destroyed totally and 12,371 houses damaged partly, and about 22 educational institutions and mosques totally ruined and 588 partly. In the distress area, 7375 people have taken shelters at 69 shelter centers where 346 medical teams are working. The teams are distributing water purification tablets and giving first aid to the flood affected. Some 13,000 tonnes of rice and Tk 550 crore in cash have been distributed as relief among the flood-hit people, Maya said, if any flood-affected district administration seeks more help, his Ministry is ready to provide. Besides, the District Administrations allocated 9,100 tonnes. The Buriganga, the Balu and the Sitalakkhya rivers surrounding Dhaka city showed rising trend which may likely to continue next 24 hours, Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC). The FFWC sources said, flood situation has started improving in low lands adjacent to the Brahmaputra and the Jamuna rivers in Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogra and Kurigram. In Sirajganj, flood situation is likely to improve during the next 24 hours. The Brahmaputra, the Jamuna and the Surma, the Kushiyara registered fall, but the Padma rose. New areas in Rajbari, Manikganj, Munshiganj and Shariatpur districts may be inundated. The mostly affected districts are Jamalpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Sunamganj, Panchagarh, Faridpur, Bogra, Sirajganj, Rajbari, Manikganj and Munshiganj. In Faridpur 15,000 families in 11 unions, 50,000 families in 26 unions in Lalmonirhat, 7500 families in 31 unions in Sirajganj, 20,000 families in 87 villages in Bogra, some few thousands families in Munshiganj, 15,000 families in Nilphamari, 3,00,000 people in 40 unions in Jamalpur, 2,40,000 people in 70 villages of 22 unions in Gaibandha, 5,75,000 people in 719 villages of 56 unions in Kurigram have been marooned. Meanwhile, Rail communications between Jamalpur-Dewanganj has been suspended due to heavy pressure of flood water, while Railway tracks on the Jamalpur-Bangabandhu Bridge East Rail Station section, between Jamalpur and Islampur, Madarganj and Melandah and Dewanganj damaged. The Jamuna was flowing 116 cm above the danger level at Bahadurabadghat point in Jamalpur. About 48 unions out of 68 have been flooded and 400 educational institutions have been shut down.Communications between Jamalpur and other districts has been disrupted as the roads have been submerged by flood water. In Kurigram, the flood situation remains unchanged. The Brahmaputra is flowing 82 cm above the danger level while the Dharla is flowing 72 cm above the danger level. Two children died falling into water at panchgachhi and Hasnabad in Nageswari upazila. The District Administration distributed 575 metric tonnes of rice and Tk 15,50,000. Around 3684 flood affected people have taken shelter at 53 flood protection shelter centers. The local administration are distributing relief among the flood affected people. They are living under open sky on the embankment making a make-shift with polyethylene. The female members are suffering for sanitation problems. In Gaibandha, around 12 villages inundated for collapse of dam in the Fulchhari and Singra area. About 200 long flood protection dam broke on Friday night and water entered the Udakhali union in Singra. Helpless People took shelter on their roof-top to save their life. Sigria, Udakhali, Uttar Udakhali, Ratanpur, Burail, Uttar Burain, Purbo Burail, Purbo Saluya, Paschim Saluya, Haripur, Uttar Kathur, Dakkhin Kathur, Chunikandia have been flooded. Around 2,00,000 people from 40 villages have been helpless.. For the last 10 continuous days the people from Fulchhari have been leading measurable life. They are suffering for drinking water, food and shelter for their family and domestic animals.
