Staff Reporter :
Flood situation in some parts of Bangladesh is likely to worsen further as all the major rivers in the northern and the north-eastern regions of the country are on the rising trend. As a result
The river water of Surma was flowing at 104cm and the Sari river at 20cm above their danger levels respectively at Kanaighat point in Sylhet.
Meanwhile, erosion of the river Jamuna continues at Enayetpur in Sirajganj due to continuous rise of water and 35 houses have been washed away in Brahmangram area.
River waters in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the Teesta, the Dharla, the Dudkumar and the Ganges-Padma may continue rising in next 48 hours.
However, flood situation in the Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona district may deteriorate in next 24 hours too.
The Teesta may flow close to its danger level and may flow above its respective danger level for a brief period in next 24 hours.
According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), all major rivers of the country are in rising trend across the country.
According to the numerical weather forecast of meteorological agencies, there is chance of medium to heavy rainfall at some places of the northern and north-eastern regions of the country along with adjoining states of Assam, Meghalaya and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal of India in next 48 hours, the FFWC bulletin said.
Our Sylhet Bureau office reports: Heavy rain and the onrush water from the hills during the last couple of days triggered a flash flood in Jaintiapur, Gowainghat, Kanaighat and Companiganj upazilas of Sylhet, causing immense sufferings to local people. As a result, roads, houses, seedbeds and schools went under water due to the flash flood.
The Sari River in Kanaighat upazila and the Surma in Jaintiapur upazila of Sylhet are now flowing above the danger level, worsening the flood situation in the district further.
The water level at Kanaighat Point rose by 69cm in the last 24 hours, while the Surma at Sylhet point was still flowing only 1cm below the danger level.
Besides, the Kushiyara River continued to rise at Amalsid and Sheola points.
Saeed Ahmad Chowdhury, senior meteorologist of the Sylhet meteorological office, said there was a possibility of heavy rainfall on June 18-19.
Sylhet District Relief and Rehabilitation
Officer Nurul Islam said the situation is being monitored round the clock from the flood control room of the deputy commissioner’s office.
Road communication of all unions with Gowainghat Upazila Sadar has been cut off and 90 percent of the people in the lowlands went under flood water.
People of different unions including Sadar, East and West Jaflong, Central Jaflong, East and West Ali Gao, Rustampur, Toakul, Lengura of this upazila have become victims of flood waters.
Gowainghat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Tahmilur Rahman said a large number of people have been stranded in the second phase of floods in a month.
He said 42 sheltering centres have been set up in the flood-hit areas and initiatives taken to bring the waterlogged people to the shelter through the local people’s representatives.
Meanwhile, Laxmi Prasad East and West, Chatul, lower areas of Sadar Union of Kanaighat Upazila have been flooded.
Many shops have been submerged since Tuesday night as water entered the eastern market of Kanaighat municipal town. Hundreds of people have been marooned in the lower villages of Zakiganj, another border upazila.
Various areas of the bordering Companiganj upazila have been flooded and roads have been submerged. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Companiganj Police Station Sukanta Chakraborty said that water has risen in the streets of Upazila Sadar.
Locals said that rising waters of Dhalai, Piain, Dauki, Sari and Bara Nayagang rivers had stoked fears of a second round of flooding.
Due to the overflow of the rivers and infiltration of water into the locality, public life in Companiganj, Gowainghat and Jaintiapur have been disrupted and the prices of essentials was increasing alarmingly, they added.
Meanwhile, flood water has reportedly been entering low-lying houses in Sunamganj.
Road communication with Doarabazar, Tahirpur and Bishwambharpur upazilas has been disrupted due to flood water.
The first phase of floods in Sylhet and Sunamganj started in early May.
Our Sunamganj correspondent reports:
The Sunamganj district is experiencing flood for the second time within a span of one month due to the incessant rain and onrush of hill water.
In the last two days, the low lying areas of the district has been flooded due to the rise of water level in different rivers like Surma, Kushiara, Jadukata, Bolai and Rokti.
The flood has submerged the low lying areas and roads of Sunamganj Sadar, Bishwamvarpur, Tahirpur, Chhatak and Doarabazar. Thousands of people are marooned while hundreds of educational institutions are forced to close for indefinite period.
People have taken shelter in the buildings and flood shelters of the Chhatak and Doarabazar upazilas.
Executive Engineer of Sunamganj Water Development Board Md Jahurul Islam said, “Moderate to heavy rainfall occurred on Sunamganj and Meghalaya of India in the last few days. All the rivers of Sunamganj have swollen up. The water level of Surma is flowing over 35mm of the danger level.”
District Primary Education Officer SM Abdur Rahman said, “Hundreds of schools are now closed due to the second time flood. It will affect the education.”
Our Sirajganj Correspondent reports: erosion of the river Jamuna continues at Enayetpur point in Sirajganj due to rising of water. Meanwhile, 35 houses have already been washed away in Brahmangram area.
The traditional Taraka Mosque of Enayetpur Thana Sadar also washed away due to heavy erosion.
According to the locals, strong currents started suddenly in the Jamuna from Monday morning. At one stage, the main gate of the eastern part of the Tarak Jame Mosque disappeared into the river.
Panic seized among the people living on the river bank fearing the erosion as it is still going on in the area of about 45 meters next to the mosque.
However, the people of the affected areas are blamed to the officials of the Water Development Board as they didn’t take any action to stop the erosion.
Mulluk Chand Mia, Chairman of Khukni Union Parishad said, ‘’A project worth Tk 600 crore has been approved to protect the river banks. Due to lack of progress of work and proper supervision, frequent erosion are occurring.”
Shafiqul Islam, Executive Engineer of Sirajganj Water Development Board, told The New Nation that they were trying to stop the river erosion but excessive rainfall hampering their tasks.
