Staff Reporter with Sylhet Bureau :
Tens of thousands of people in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrakona districts have been badly affected by the deluge which is the results of incessant rainfall and onrush of hill water from the upstream.
Due to the inundation of the homesteads, thousands of people were marooned in 15 upazilas of Sylhet and Sunamganj and new areas are being flooded due to continuous increase of water level.
The power cut in Sylhet and Sunamganj since Thursday night has exacerbated the sufferings of the people in the district putting the people in world of darkness to communicate with others.
Around 175,000 power subscribers in Sylhet and Sunamganj went without electricity. Water has arisen in the South Surma power substation and the entire South Surma upazila has been without electricity since Thursday.
The flood has prompted the suspension of flight at the Osmany International Airport and postponed classes and examinations of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) and the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations which was scheduled to start from 19.
On the other hand, 21 students of Dhaka University have been trapped in the flood while visiting Tanguar Haor in Sunamganj and they are seeking help for their rescue. The local administration is trying to rescue them.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in a video message on Friday urged all to get involved to help the flood-affected people in Sylhet region and join hands with the government to rescue the affected people.
He said that the administration is mobilising an adequate number of speedboats and boats to rescue the marooned people in flood-hit areas and take them to nearby shelters.
About the causes of the flood, he said, “The flood has taught us a great lesson how the ponds, canals, marshy lands and
haors have been encroached and as a result the normal flow of water has stopped.”
Meanwhile, officials of the Water Development Board (WDB) in Sylhet said, water levels in all major rivers, including the Surma and the Kushiara, continue to rise. The water of Surma is flowing above the danger line at all points.
According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) on Friday the flood situation in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona districts may further deteriorate in the next 24 hours.
The water levels in 13 points of the country’s rivers are flowing above the danger level and in the next 24 hours, the water level of Teesta may remain near or above the danger level.
On the other hand, flood situation in Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur and Kurigram district may further worsen in the low-lying areas, the FFWC said.
Sylhet Bureau reports: The flood water is entering the Sylhet town by leaps and bounds and engulfing the major establishments like Osmany International Airport and rail stations.
The take off and touchdown of any flight has been cancelled at the Sylhet Osmany International Airport as flood water is entering into the runway.
“The flood water has reached the runway. Various materials of the airport have been submerged. So all flights have been cancelled,” Manager of the Osmany Airport Hafiz Ahmad told the media.
Considering the magnitude of the flood, Bangladesh Army has been deployed to control the flood situation in Sylhet at the request of the local authority, reads an ISPR press release on Friday.
Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet district Md. Mozibor Rahman said that authorities have decided to deploy the army to rescue the affected people of Companiganj and Gowainghat Upazilas.
At least 600 villages of Companiganj, Gowainghat, Sylhet Sadar, Jaintiapur, Kanaighat and South Surma Upazilas have been inundated, local administration said.
At least ten lakh people are stranded due to the flood and they are suffering from acute crisis of drinking water and dry food.
The power cut in different parts of Sylhet has intensified the sufferings of the people and the entire district may go in dark if the concerned authority fail to protect the Kumarganj power grid substation, which supplies electricity to the whole of Sylhet.
Meanwhile, the army has been working relentlessly to protect the Kumargaon power grid with the geo-bags to stop the flood water to enter into the grid, Chief Engineer of Power Development Board in Sylhet Mohammad Abdul Quadir said.
He said, “We are trying to keep the power supply uninterrupted at least in the Sylhet town. The power is already cut in Sunamganj and other parts of Sylhet.”
Companiganj Upazila Family Planning and Health Officer Dr Md Selim said that services of the hospital are being disrupted due to lack of electricity.
“We are trying to run generators and continue providing services. But it is not possible to run various equipments including X-ray machines with the help of a generator. So these services are halted for now,” he added.
Meanwhile, the PDB in Sylhet has alerted the customers about the safety of lives and property in the flood-hit areas.
It has warned people not to touch electric wires, poles or electric components in the flood water and requested people to call them during emergency on the telephone numbers – 01625038784 and 02996633173.
On the other hand, the SUST authority after a syndicate meeting on Friday shutdown till June 25 as the flood situation has worsened, leaving its students, teachers and employees to suffer immensely.
The water level of Surma river is now flowing at 32 cm above the danger level, 93 cm at Kanaighat point and 70 cm at Sunamganj point, Met office said.
Companiganj Upazila Family Planning and Health Officer Dr Md Selim said that services of the hospital are being disrupted due to lack of electricity.
“We are trying to run generators and continue providing services. But it is not possible to run various equipments including X-ray machine with the help of a generator. So these services are halted for now,” he added.
In Sunamganj : Due to continuous rains and onrush of hill water, the water level in the rivers of Sunamganj is increasing.
The municipality area of Sunamganj went under water while seven upazilas including Sunamganj Sadar, Bishwamvarpur, Tahirpur, Dowarabazar, Chhatak, Jamalganj and Shantiganj have been flooded, leaving thousands of people marooned.
The vehicular moment has been disrupted in Sunamganj municipal city while the communications in Chhatak, Jamalganj, Bishwamvarpur and Tahirpur with the district Sadar were cut off.
