With the situation worsening in several districts in the country, the floods might be prolonged as the water levels of several major rivers, including the Padma, may rise further and the levels are likely to remain unchanged in several other rivers for two more days. According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the water flow in the rivers around Dhaka city — Buriganga, Balu, Turag and Turag Khal — will also rise in next 48 hours. The Turag at Mirpur may cross danger level in the time which is a serious concern for further deterioration of flood situation in Dhaka. Meanwhile, several lakhs of flood-hit people are passing their days with serious miseries, as they are facing acute crisis of dry food, pure drinking water and medicine. The flood victims are not getting relief materials and other assistance according to their needs, while the local administration claimed that they are distributing the relief materials. They admitted that they are facing hardship to reach some remote areas due to the huge current in the rivers and collapse of the road communications. Nezarat Deputy Collector (NDC) of Bogra Arifuzzaman said that the authorities were distributing relief materials among the affected people, but they were facing hardship to reach some areas due to the huge current in the Jamuna River.Experts said that the flood affected people will also suffer even after improvement of the flood situation, as in that time, boat and other vehicles of the water way would not run while the vehicle of the road way will also not run properly due to the muddy and collapsed roads. They also said that the flood this year has been prolonging for several weeks and its negative impacts are also more than the previous years. Alongside with the problems, water-borne diseases started spreading fast in the flood-affected areas while the medical efforts are insufficient against the needs. Scarcity of medicine also aggravated the situation in the areas.On the other hand, the flood adversely affected the Aman paddy and other seasonal crops. The farmers are concerned over the extensive damage of the Aman paddy and other crops.Ripon Karmaker, Assistant Engineer of the FFWC, said that the flood situation may worsen further in different districts, as the water flow in the rivers Padma and several other rivers will rise further. He, however, said that the Brahmmaputra, Jamuna, Ganges and Meghna were in falling trend. According to him, the flood situation at least in six districts may deteriorate further. The districts are Shariatpur, Madaripur, Munshiganj, Manikganj Rajbari and Faridpur. The flood waters have already entered some low-lying areas in and around the capital city and it was being increased. Flood experts said that the eastern part of Dhaka might be affected seriously if the water level rises in the Brahmmaputra and Ganges rivers, as the rivers’ rising levels usually affect the country’s middle part, including Dhaka. Water levels in 33 river stations monitored by the FFWC have marked rises and 47 stations recorded falls. Among the 83 monitored water level stations, water levels at 17 monitored river stations were flowing above the danger marks while one river station has remained steady. The Ghagot at Gaibandha, the Brahmaputra at Chilmari, the Jamuna at Bahadurabad, Sariakandi, Sirajganj, and Aricha were flowing above the danger marks by 40 cm, 21 cm, 52cm, 88 cm, 37 cm, 14 cm, and 30 cm while the GUR at Singra, the Atrai at Baghabari, the Dhaleswari at Elasin, the Lakhya at Lakhpur, Lakhya at Narayanganj, the Kaliganga at Taraghat, the Padma at Goalundo, Bhagyakul, Sureswar, Old Surma at Derai and the Kangsha at Jariajanjail were flowing above the danger levels by 30 cm, 104 cm, 91 cm, 91cm, 20 cm, 30 cm, 27 cm, 25 cm, 10 cm, 21 cm and 68 cm.The flood situation started improving in the Brahmmaputra basin with recession in water levels of the major rivers in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Bogra and Sirajganj districts. Despite falls in the water levels, the Brahmmaputra was still flowing above the danger mark. Alongside with the improvement, waterborne diseases were spreading in the areas.However, river erosion took serious turns at places along the riverside areas in the flood-hit districts devouring more houses with lands and properties, local sources and public representatives said.The district and upazila administrations have further intensified their relief activities though allocating more rice and cash money for distribution among the affected people in these districts.The WDB authorities have been conducting emergency protection works at several damaged points of the embankments.According to sources in Gaibandha district administration, 1.42 lakh people of 45,290 families in the district have so far been affected by the current flood and 6,065 displaced people are still living in 31 flood shelters. Erosion and flood have so far partially or totally damaged 17,074 houses, 308 kilometre ‘kutcha’ roads, 45 kilometre embankments, 11 bridges and culverts and standing crops on 3,429 hectares of land have been submerged under floodwater in four upazilas.The district administration in association with the upazila administrations and public representatives have been continuing distribution of 372 tonnes rice and Taka 9.18 lakh in cash among the flood and erosion-hit people of Gaibandha district.In Sirajganj, nearly 2.50 lakh people have been affected so far by floodwater and 180 educational institutions, 16,000 houses, 338 km ‘kutcha’ roads and standing crops on over 4,000 hectares of land have been submerged under floodwater. The district administration has been distributing 405 tons rice and Taka 7.50 lakh among the flood-hit people in Sirajganj. These are insufficient to the needs. In Kurigram, some 2.40 lakh people of 54,757 families have been affected by floodwater in 542.55 square kilometre area under 56 unions of all nine upazilas in Kurigram district. River erosion has damaged 10,282 houses, 77 educational and religious institutions, 127 km ‘kutcha’ roads, 38 km flood control embankments and seven culverts partially or totally and standing crops on 48,500 hectares of land have been submerged in Kurigram.The district administration has adequate reserve of relief goods and distribution of allocated 766.66 tons rice and Taka 6.23 lakh among the flood-hit people was continuing in Kurigram district.Similar reports of flood have been received from Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Nilphamari and Bogra districts along the Brahmaputra basin where the district administrations have intensified distribution of relief goods among the affected people. Allegations are that the government relief materials were insufficient.In Bogra, the flood situation worsened further in the district. At least 10 fresh villages of Sariakandi, Dhunat and Gabtali upazilas went under flood water. Outbreak of waterborne disease is seen in the district. The district administration said that at least 32 medical teams are working in the district to provide medical service for flood affected people.The Health Department formed 11 medical teams to provide emergency medical services to the flood-affected people at Dhunat upazila in the district. Upazila Health Officer Dr Rampad Sutradhar on Sunday sent letters to the concerned doctors to perform duties in their respective teams. Besides, the holidays of the doctors and other officials of the health complex were cancelled to perform duty in the flood affected. The health officer said that diarrhea, stomach, abdominal pain, jaundice, skin diseases and other waterborne diseases may spread in the area. In Naraynganj, food situation in the district has deteriorated further as fresh areas were engulfed by flood water.
