Staff Reporter :
The flood situation in Sylhet worsened during the last 24 hours with the rise of water level in the Surma and the Kushiyara rivers.
Though there is no rain, the flood situation in Sylhet has deteriorated due to the hilly water coming down from the upper reaches of India. Two more inches of water rose in Sylhet city from morning till noon on Wednesday (May 16).
Besides, flood waters are also increasing in eight upazilas of the district. In this situation, about 1.5 million people of Sylhet district and metropolis have become waterlogged. And these flood-affected people are in dire need of clean water and dry food.
At noon on Wednesday (May 18), more areas of the city were flooded. Roads are being submerged. Apart from the government and the non-government institutions, many educational institutions have also been found submerged. The city dwellers have fallen into extreme suffering due to this. In this situation, 16 shelters including 15 schools have been opened in the city.
The people in the shelters are also in food crisis. Ward No. 10 of the city corporation has been most affected by the floods in the city. It is being said by announcing in the mosque of this ward that the flood water is rising fast. To leave the household items safe and go to the shelters.
However, SCC’s Chief Engineer Nur Azizur Rahman said, the SCC is working to protect some of the erosion-hit places.
WDB’s Executive Engineer of Sylhet Asif Ahmed said, the situation has been aggravated with the gushing waters from the Meghalaya, Assam and Tripura where incessant rains continued till today. The Surma and Kushiyara rivers are flowing above danger level at various points, he said.
Sylhet Deputy Commissioner. Mojibar Rahman said that even though water enters in some government establishments, the service is not being disrupted. The normal activities of all the organizations are continuing.
However, several educational institutions have been closed. The deputy commissioner said 199 shelters had been opened in the flood-hit district, adding that food had also been provided at these shelters. In addition, UNOs have been instructed to monitor the situation round the clock.
It is learnt that vast areas in Kanaighat, Zakiganj, Golapganj, Gowainghat and Fenchuganj upazilas have been flooded due to the 20 breaches developed in various points of the Surma dyke. Road link of Sylhet with Kanaighat and Gowainghat had also been snapped.
Vast tracts of lands and homesteads in Sylhet Sadar, Jaintapur, Gowainghat, Kanaighat, Companiganj, Golapganj, Fenchuganj and Zakiganj upazilas remained inundated.
Meanwhile, in Sunamganj, residents of low-lying areas have been forced to leave their houses, with the flood situation worsening in the wake of the Surma river breaching the danger mark.
