Staff Reporter :
The flood situation in the northern, northeastern and central regions of the country will worsen further in the upcoming two to three days.
Incessant monsoon rains have triggered flooding in several districts of the regions, marooning thousands of people and disrupting road communications.
However, the situation is expected to improve in the southern parts.
Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, Executive Engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), said this while briefing the journalists at his office in the city on Sunday.
“The water level of Padma River will rise above the danger level within the next two to three days and will submerged the adjacent areas. Thus, the situation will get worse in the northern, northeastern and central parts of the country,” he said.
Bhuiyan added, “But the flood situation in the southern region of the country is expected to improve.”
Floodwater engulfed fresh areas in Kurigram and Lalmonirhat districts worsening conditions of the affected people in the districts.
Whereas, flood-hit people’s suffering has intensified due to insufficient supply of relief materials in Lalmonirhat where the overall flood remained unchanged.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) in its latest bulletin yesterday afternoon said that all the major rivers “are in rising trend” excepting the Surma in southeastern Sylhet region, but it could start rising again depending on rainfalls. “The rain-fed rivers in all the four main basins of Meghna, Brahmaputra, Ganges-covering the northeastern, northern, northwestern and central Bangladesh-are on the verge of surpassing their bank lines at different places,” said a spokesman of FFWC.
He added the rising trend of rivers in Brahmaputra and Meghna basins including the Dharla, Kangsha, Surma and Kushiyara appeared “rapid” which are likely to submerge floodplains in greater Sylhet and greater Rangpur in next 24 hours.
Out of 93 river monitoring points across the country, water levels in 25 points exceeded the danger marks so far, the FFWC said.
“Flood situation in Netrokona, Sunamganj, Sylhet, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Jamalpur, Gaibandha, Bogura and Sirajganj districts may deteriorate in next 24 hours,” the centre warned.
The bulletin, however, expected the water level to recede in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban districts in the coming hours.
Nilphamari Our Nilphamari Corresdpondent adds: Flood situation in the Teesta basin under Nilphamari district deteriorated alarmingly as the river was flowing 52 centimeter above the danger mark at Dalia point near Teesta barrage on Saturday night which never happened till the biggest irrigation project of the country commissioned in 1998.
Sub-divisional Engineer of water development board (WDB) in Dalia Abdul Hafiz informed that the danger mark of the Teesta is 52.60 meter at Dalia in Nilphamari district as the river started swelling from 3.00am of Friday and reached up to 53.12 meter which remained static till yesterday morning. Some 10,000 people of 14 villages marooned in Dimla and Jaldhaka upazilas and the situation of the affected people is still unchanged, he said.
Hafiz continued saying, “The situation worsened as India opened all gates of its Gojaldoba barrage in upstream to release ‘excess’ water caused by heavy rain.”
The affected villages are Uttor Kharibari, Kisamoter Char, Baish Pukur, Vendabari, Tapur Char, Kisamat Chhatnai, Satunama, Bhabon Chur, Sati Ghat, Jharsingheswar, Gopal Jhar, Holdibari, Chhotokhata and Banpara.
The chairman of flood affected Khalisha Chapani union parishad in Dimla Ataur Rahman said that three villages of his union namely Chhoto Khata, Banpara and Baish Pukur have been inundated and about 3500 people have become marooned here.
Moinul Islam, chairman of Tepa Kharibari union parishad said that flood affected people of his area are suffering from acute food and drinking water as most of the houses went under water and hence couldn’t cook food.
The Executive Engineer of water development board in Dalia Division of Nilphamari district said, ” The situation is so serious that all officers and technical staff of his division passed Friday night on the Teesta barrage for all out monitoring and still staying there even today.”
Secretary of Ministry of Water Resource Kabir Bin Anawar reached Dalia yesterday and sat in a meeting with WDB officials and district administration to find ways to handle the situation in proper way.
Acting Deputy Commissioner of Nilphamari Shahinur Islam said, ” Situation is under control and district administration has readied 450 metric tonnes of rice and Tk 7 lakh for giving as aid to the flood victims and already distributed 2000 packets of dry food.”
Kurigram The flood situation has worsened in all of the 16 rivers, including Dharla, Brahmaputra, Teesta and Dudhkumar, of the district within last 24 hours and all rivers are flowing above their danger marks, says our Kurigram Correspondent.
The Dharla, Brahmaputra, Teesta and Dudhkumar were flowing 78 cm at Dharla Bridge point under Kurigram Sadar upazila, 68 cm at Chilmari Ghat point under Chilmari upazila, 22 cm at Kaunia Ghat point under Kaunia upazila (Rangpur) and 58 cm at Noonkhawa point under Kurigram Sadar upazila respectively above their danger marks yesterday, local WDB sources said.
Over one and half lakh people of low laying areas and 300 char areas of Sadar, Nageswari, Ulipur, Rowmari and Rajibpur upazilas have been marooned by the floodwater due to heavy rainfall and upstream water from India.
The Deputy Commissioner (In-charge), Md.Hafijur Rahman, said, “28,182 families of nine upazilas of the district have been marooned by the floodwater while another 725 families of the upazilas affected by erosion. 50 metric tonnes of GR rice, GR cash Tk 2,25,000 and 2,000 packets of dry foods have already been distributed among the nine upazila administrations.”
Bogura Flash flood has inundated a total of 80 villages in Bogura district, causing immense sufferings to the people.
Azahar Ali Mandal, an official of district administration, said, “Low-lying areas at 80 villages in Bogura district were flooded as the water level in the Jamuna river is increasing gradually due to onrush of water from the upstream.”
Standing crops on 568 hectares of land in Sariakandi and Sonatali upazilas went under water, Azahar said, adding, “Nearly 60,000 people were badly affected by the flood and a large number of houses partially or completely damaged.
A total of 23 educational institutions under Sonatali and Sariakandi upazilas were shut down due to floodwater, he added.
Sources at the district administration said a total of 100 tonnes of rice and 1,000 packets of dry foods were distributed among flood-hit people in Sariakandi upazila.
He said all necessary initiatives have already been taken to face flood in the district.
Alongside taking initiatives to check damages of embankments, adequate relief materials are in stock to deal any catastrophic situation.
Bogura Flash flood has inundated a total of 80 villages in Bogura district, causing immense sufferings to the people. Azahar Ali Mandal, an official of district administration, said, “Low-lying areas at 80 villages in Bogura district were flooded as the water level in the Jamuna river is increasing gradually due to onrush of water from the upstream.”
Standing crops on 568 hectares of land in Sariakandi and Sonatali upazilas went under water, Azahar said, adding, “Nearly 60,000 people were badly affected by the flood and a large number of houses partially or completely damaged.
A total of 23 educational institutions under Sonatali and Sariakandi upazilas were shut down due to floodwater, he added.
Sources at the district administration said a total of 100 tonnes of rice and 1,000 packets of dry foods were distributed among flood-hit people in Sariakandi upazila.
He said all necessary initiatives have already been taken to face flood in the district.
Alongside taking initiatives to check damages of embankments, adequate relief materials are in stock to deal any catastrophic situation.
State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman yesterday said, “Until now the situation has not become alarming, but we are getting ready to face a major deluge.”
He added the number of affected districts overnight stood at 15 while the figure was 10 on Saturday as flood hit five fresh ones, including some in central parts of the country.
Enamur Rahman said the 10 affected districts each by now received 500 tonnes of rice and 4,000 relief packs, including edible oil, noodles, pressed rice (chira), sugar, flour, salt, candles, matchboxes and rice. “We held inter-ministerial meetings . . . besides the ministries, the armed forces and Red Crescent and scouts mobilized 24 lakh people to stand by the affected people,” he said. He, however, said the 176 flood shelters appeared inadequate for sheltering the possible deluge victims and therefore his ministry sent to 15 vulnerable districts 7,500 tents, each of which could accommodate 20 people.
Health Ministry’s flood control room yesterday reported 11 deaths since July 10, saying six of them drowned while lightening killed three and snakebites two.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque said his ministry was prepared with 1,368 medical teams and adequate drugs including IV fluids, water purification tablets, anti snake venoms, oral saline, which were stored centrally in Dhaka and at upazila levels.
Dhaka-Sylhet highway
Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall damaged nearly a lane of the old Dhaka-Sylhet highway last night.
The damaged portion of the highway is at Ramganga tea garden area beside Shatchhari National Park of Habiganj’s Chunarughat upazila. It has been marked with a red sign to alert people who are using the road, said Moinuddin Iqbal, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of the district. Heavy rainfall and landslides are causing the damage and link to the highway at this point might get snapped anytime, our Moulvibazar correspondent reports quoting Johirul Islam, Executive Engineer of Habiganj Roads and Highways Department.
“If the Roads and Highways Department does not take steps to protect the highway by today (Sunday), upazila authority will take steps,” UNO Iqbal said after visiting the spot.
Flood situation worsens in Netrakona
The flood situation in Barhatta, Kalmakanda and Purbadhala upazilas of the district has worsened as the two major rivers-Kangso and Ubdakhali-have swelled due to heavy rainfall and onrush water from upstream region.
District administration and Water Development Board (WDB) office sources said more than 100 villages under 16 unions of the four upazilas were inundated by the floodwaters.
With 2,000 families affected by floodwater, numbers of 100 educational institutions were closed by the authorities, they said.
The flood situation in Durgapur upazila marked slight improvement yesterday as the river Sumeswari is in falling trend, according to Water Development Board.
Deputy Commissioner of Netrakona Ariful Islam said that relief operation has been intensified in the flood affected areas to remove sufferings of the people.
Under the relief operation, district administration has already distributed 100 metric tons of rice and 3000 packets of dry foods among the food-hit people of the district.
Rangpur Flood situation in seven northern districts in the Brahmaputra basin deteriorated further yesterday following continuous onrush of water from upstream, marooning over five lakh people.
District administrations have intensified distribution of relief among flood-affected people of Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Bogura and Sirajganj districts.
According to Water Development Board (WDB), water levels of all major rivers except Teesta were continuing to rise and flowing above respective danger marks at 10 points in these seven districts this afternoon.
Superintending Engineer (SE) of WDB for Rangpur Circle-1 Harun Ar Rashid said officials of WDB, district administration and local leaders are monitoring the situation constantly and taking necessary steps to stand beside the flood-affected people.
Teesta was flowing 20cm above danger level at Dalia and Kawnia, Dharla by 81cm at Kurigram, Brahmaputra by 40cm at Noonkhawa and 76cm at Chilmari points, he said.
The Jamuna was flowing 83cm above the danger mark at Fulchhari, 81cm at Bahadurabad, 45cm at Sariakandi and 9cm at Kazipur points while Ghaghot by 55cm above at Gaibandha points. District Relief and Rehabilitation Officers (DRRO) for Lalmonirhat Ali Haider said, they have got allocations of 450 tonnes of rice, Taka 5.50 lakh and 4,000 packets of dry foods from the government. He said 150 tonnes of rice, Taka 2.50 lakh in cash and 1,403 boxes of dry foods were distributed among 16,816 flood-hit families of 15 unions in five upazilas, he said.
DRRO for Rangpur ATM Akhteruzzaman said the government has already allocated 600 tonnes of rice and Taka eight lakh.
“We have allocated 110 tonnes of rice and huge dry foods for distribution among 2,600 affected families of three upazilas in Rangpur,” DRRO said.
Kurigram DRRO Khairul Anam said the government has allocated Taka eight lakh, 500 tonnes of rice and 4,000 packets of dry foods for distribution among flood-hit families.
‘We have already allocated 280 tonnes of rice, 2,000 packets of dry foods and Taka 6.75 lakh for distribution among 2.14-lakh people of 53,551 flood-hit families in all nine upazilas of the district,” he said.
DRRO of Nilphamari SA Hayat said, they have got 450 tonnes of rice, Taka 7.50 lakh and 4,000 packets of dry foods for flood-affected people where overall flood situation marked significant improvement today.
He said, 170 tonnes of rice, Taka 2.50 lakh and 2,000 packets of and dry foods were distributed among 2,889 families of Dimla upazila in Nilphamari, he said.
Jamalpur
Flood situation in the district has deteriorated further as water level of the Jamuna has increased sharply during the past 24 hours.
Water Development Board (WDB) sources said the Jamuna river is flowing by 81cm above its danger mark at Bahadurabad. Nearly 70,000 people have been
affected by flood, they said adding more areas in the district will be inundated, if rising trend of Jamuna river may continue.
Jamalpur office of Department of Agricultural Extension said flood water
submerged standing crops on 1246 hectares of land in district. Of them, 128
hectares are Aman paddy, 285 hectares Aus paddy, 275 hectares jute, 551
hectares vegetable and 7 hectares Chilli.
District Primary Education Officer Md Shahidul Islam said monsoon flood
affected normal life in the district forcing 66 primary schools and other
educational institution closed.
Alongside educational institutions, other service providing organizations also were shut down as floodwater entered those institutions.
Civil Surgeon of Jamalpur district hospital Dr Goutam Roy said 84 medical teams are working in the flood affected areas to provide primary healthcare treatments.
District Administration sources said 90 tonnes of rice, dried food and Taka two lakh were allocated for flood-hit people.
Sunamgonj
Overall flood situation has been slightly deteriorated in the district with creating flood-like situation in eight upazilas of the district.
Surma River is flowing 88cm above the danger level. According to the official accounts about 1.04 lakh people are now reeling on the danger of flood while unofficially the number is higher.
District relief and rehabilitation officer Faridul Haque said, the government has opened ten shelter centers, but the affected people are not coming to the centers leaving behind their homes and property.
The government has so far allocated 500 metric tonnes of rice, cash Taka 10 lakh and 5235 packets of dry food for flood affected people. Measures were taken to reach the relief materials to the affected people.
District administration held a views exchange meeting with local leaders and officials of various departments for smooth handling of flood situation in Sadar and Biswambar upazilas.
Meanwhile, district and upazila administrations and Upazila Council distributed dry foods and water purifying tablets among 620 families.
Female parliament member from Sunamgonj-Sylhet reserve seat Advocate Shamima Shariyar also distributed some relief materials among flood affected people.
