Staff Reporter :
Though the flood situation is likely to improve in the Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj and Netrokona and northern districts, it would take time in northeastern and northern parts of Bangladesh.
The flood situation in Sirajganj and Tangail districts may deteriorate slightly.
Meanwhile, at least 42 people have died in the flood-affected districts across the country in the last six days, according to the data provided by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
According to the Flood Forecasting Warning Centre (FFWC), there is chance of short duration flood in the low lying area of Shariatpur and Madaripur districts in the next 24 hours.
Besides, the flood situation in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogura and Jamalpur districts may remain steady,
All the major rivers in the north-eastern region of the country are in falling trend, except the Kushiyara and Titas, FFWC sources said.
“Water now continued to flow above the danger lines in two of the country’s four major river basins . . . the situation is worst since the 2004 flooding,” FFWC spokesman Md Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said.
Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, an FFWC Executive Engineer, said “Heavy downpours worsened the flood situation which is gradually deteriorating in northern and north-eastern parts of Bangladesh”.
He said the trend was worsening as the forecasts suggested the heavy rainfall to continue for the next couple of days in the upstream Meghalaya Assam and western Himalayan regions of India alongside Bangladesh. He said the Brahmaputa river is in steady state, while the Jamuna and the Ganges-Padma rivers are in rising trend.
The Brahmaputa-Jamuna and all the major river of the north-eastern region of the country (except the Teesta) may fall, while the Ganges-Padma river may rise in the next 24 hours, he added.
According to Bhuiyan, The water level of Teesta river may fall, while the Dharla and the Dudkumar rivers may remain steady.
However, more than 500 volunteers of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BRCS) are working to help the flood-affected people in the Sylhet region.
Teams of Bangladesh Red Crescent are helping to evacuate flood-affected people to safe shelters and distribute dry and cooked food and clean drinking water in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and other affected districts.
According to BRCS, to help the flood victims, 15,000 water purification tablets, 7,200 packets of dry food, 1,200 jerrycans, 1,000 dignity kits, 500 hygiene parcels and 50 life jackets have been sent so far.
Safe drinking water supply has been started in Sylhet and Sunamganj through three mobile water purification units which allowing Red Crescent to distribute 20,000 litres of drinking water each day. Besides, the volunteers of the Society are working closely with the Bangladesh Army in rescue operations to deal with the emergency, said a BRCS release.
A total of 1,976 medical teams are working in the flood-hit four divisions, said DGHS.
Northeastern and northern parts of Bangladesh may witness prolonged flood as record breaking rainfalls were recorded inside Bangladesh and upstream states of India during the ongoing flood.
Water levels at 61 river stations monitored by Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) have marked rise while 47 stations recorded fall.
Among the 109 monitored stations, one river station has been registered as steady while water levels at 21 stations are flowing above the danger level, a bulletin issued by the FFWC said here today.
The Brahmaputra at Noonkhawa, Hatia, Chilmari and Fulchari, the Jamuna at Bahadurabad, Sariakandi, Kazipur, Serajganj and Porabari, the Dharla at Kurigram, the Ghagot at Gaibandha, the Atrai at Baghbari, the Surma at Kanaighat, Sylhet and Sunamganj, the Kushiyara at Amalshid and Sheola, the Old Surma at Derai, the Baulai at Khaliajuri, the Someswari at Kalmakanda and the Titas at Brahmanbaria are flowing above danger level by 18cm, 103cm, 52cm, 60cm, 57cm, 64cm, 61cm, 50cm, 45cm, 41cm, 42cm, 03cm, 100cm, 31cm, 12cm, 191cm, 66cm,89 cm, 50cm,73cm and 13 cm respectively.
“This government is and will remain beside the helpless people in any disaster including floods,” Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin said this while inspecting various flood-hit places in Juri upazila of Moulvibazar.
The government will provide all necessary assistance, including food, medicines and seeds to the flood affected haor people, Divisional Commissioner of Dhaka Md Khalilur Rahman told local journalists while visiting flood-hit areas in Kishoreganj on Wednesday.
He also visited flood affected areas in Karimganj ‘s Bhalikhala, Seturpara and Gophdhigi, Mitamoion haor.
