Staff Reporter :The overall flood situation in the country’s northern districts is worsening as rivers in the region continue to swell due to heavy rainfall paired by water flowing down from the upstream hilly areas.Vast areas in Sirajganj, Bogra, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Kurigram, Sunamganj and Sylhet districts have been inundated due to floodwaters. The flood situation has worsened as water in all the rivers in the region have risen, inundating shoal and low-lying areas and lakhs of people rendered homeless on Monday.The flood-hit people, who took shelter on the flood control embankment and in school and college buildings, are facing acute crisis of food and pure drinking water.The river erosion and floodwater destroyed hectares croplands, engulfed innumerable houses of the people. The affected people are passing their days in great misery with their belongings including domestic animals and poultry birds for want of shelter, food and drinking water.When contacted Ripon Karmakar, Duty Officer, Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said the low-lying areas of the districts adjacent to Brahmaputra and Jamuna Rivers went under water. Besides, he said the flood situation in the low lands adjacent to the Surma-Kushiyara rivers also deteriorated yesterday.As the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Surma-Kushiyara rivers continue to rising, the low-laying areas of the districts adjacent to those rivers went under water. Besides, heavy rainfall in Assam and Meghalaya of neighbouring India is also cause flooding, Ripon Karmakar said.According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, flood situation in some parts of low lands adjacent to Brahmaputra and Jamuna Rivers at Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogra, Serajganj, Natore districts, Ganges- Padma rivers at Rajbari, Manikganj, Munshiganj and Shariotpur districts and Surma-Kushiyara rivers at Sylhet and Sunamganj districts may likely continue to deteriorate in next 24 hours. The Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Ganges-Padma river systems may likely to continue rising in next 24 hours. The Surma-Kushiyara river systems may likely to start falling after next 24 hours, it added.Besides, Jamuna River at Aricha and Padma river at Bhagyakul may likely to cross their respective Danger Level within next 24 hours. Our Sylhet Correspondent adds; at least 2,50,000 people have been marooned in Sylhet and Sunamganj district as the surge of water from the hilly areas and incessant rainfall have flooded hundreds of villages in Gowainghat, Companiganj and Fenchuganj Upazila in Sylhet, Dhirai, Jamalganj, Dakshin Sunamganj, Darmapasha, Doarabazar, Tahirpur and Bishwambarpur upazilas in Sunamganj district. According to the Water Development Board (WDB) office of Sylhet Deputy Divisional Engineer Tawhidul Islam said, the Surma and Kushiara has been flowing above the danger mark.Many villagers have been evacuated from the flood-hit areas, but many others are still stranded. Our Kurigram Correspondent reports; the flood situation in the district deteriorated as new areas were inundated and thousands of people rendered homeless on Monday.Some fresh areas have been inundated due to the surging river waters. Some 3.5 lakh people have been marooned in the district due to flood in the last few days.The Brahmaputra River was flowing 69 centimetres above its danger level at Chilmari point, while the Dharla River was flowing 95 above centimetres at bridge point on Monday morning.The government and non-government relief materials are not sent there till now, flood victims said.In Jamalpur, the Jamuna River was flowing 63 centimeters above its red level at Bahadurabadghat point in the last 24 hours, flooding several hundred villages and affecting the academic activities of over a hundred educational institutions. In Rajbari, the Padma River is flowing 17 centimeters above its danger mark at Doulatdiaghat point, triggering riverbank erosion in some areas. The ferry services between Daulatdia-Paturia are being hampered due to strong currents in the river.In Bogra, flood situation worsened further in Sariakandi upazila as the Jamuna River was flowing 45 cm above its danger mark on Monday, leaving over 1 lakh people of nine unions in the upazila marooned.
