The floods covered vast areas in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Nilphamari, Shariatpur and Lalmonirhat districts leaving about five lakh people marooned.
The onrush of hilly water triggered by heavy downpour over the last one week inundated vast areas in many upazilas of the districts, also disrupting communications. With rains continuing on Sunday more areas are likely to be engulfed.
Houses, different government and non-government organisations, educational institutions and crops land went under water by the recent flood, as the rivers flowing beside the districts have been flowing above danger level.
Meanwhile, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre on Sunday forecasts the Brahmaputra- Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and Surma- Kushiyara rivers are in rising trend.
The Brahmaputra- Jamuna rivers likely to continue rising in next 24 hours, it added. The Ganges- Padma and the Surma- Kushiyara may also continue to rise in next 12 hours.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department said light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at most places in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions with moderately heavy to very heavy falls at some places in the country.
Besides, a warning message said rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary south-southeasterly gusty or squally wind speed 45-60 kilometres per hour is likely to occur over the regions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Bogra, Pabna, Tangail, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Faridpur, Madaripur, Jessore, Kushtia, Khulna, Barisal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Comilla, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Sylhet wherein river ports shall hoist cautionary signal number one.”
In Sylhet the floodwater inundated vast areas in six upazilas of the district, leaving about 2.5 lakh people marooned.
The flood situation in six upazilas — Jakiganj, Bianibazar, Golapganj, Fenchuganj, Osmaninagar and Balaganj — of the district continued to deteriorate on Sunday, worsening the woes of the affected people.
Rahat Anwar, deputy commissioner of the district, said the authorities concerned have shut 174 educational institutions as those were submerged by floodwater.
Educational institutions, houses, offices and different establishments went under water by the recent flood, as the Kushiara River has been flowing 21 centimetres above its danger level.
Besides, academic activities in some 137 educational institutions of Barlekha upazila in Moulvibazar district and Golapganj upazila of Sylhet district are being seriously hampered due to the flood.
In Moulvibazar, the flood situation in different parts of Barlekha, Kulaura and Juri upazilas of the district continued to worsen due to heavy rainfall for the last few days and onrush of hill water.
Sources at the Primary and Secondary Education Department said the authorities of different educational institutions could not resume their academic activities although those were opened on Saturday after the Eid vacation.
Academic activities in 87 schools, including 75 government primary schools, remained suspended as floodwater poured into the school buildings following the rise in Hakaluki Haor water.
Shyamal Chandra Singha, headmaster of Paschim Borny High School, said, “The floodwater entered the school while roads remain submerged. I managed to attend the school by boat and placed some bricks under its furniture for saving those from water.”
Barlekha Upazila Secondary Education Officer Samir Kanti Deb said the two examinations which were scheduled to be held on July 6 and July 8 have been rescheduled for July 23 and July 24 respectively.
Meanwhile, the local administrations have opened six shelter centres in Sylhet while seven in Moulvibazar district. A number of medical camps have been opened in the flood-hit areas.
In Nilphamari, the onrush of water from the upstream and heavy rainfall flooded many villages of Dimla and Joldhaka upazilas of the district leaving over one thousand people marooned.
In Lalmonirhat, flood inundated a village and continued to submerge many areas till filing of this report.
In Shariatpur, the low-lying areas of the district went under water due to floodwater.
