FLOOD embankments are in a sorry state almost all over the country being hit by flashflood and rush of water with immense sufferings of people mainly due to shortage of food and pure drinking water. As per reports thousands of people are displaced and living in open air waiting for temporary shelter from rain. It is time the government should act quickly to save these people. Relief materials must reach these people without delay.
Media reports said the immediate need of the hour is drinking water, food and shelter to people in the country’s north and northeast where flooding has forced thousands to move to embankments and roads. Meanwhile, torrential rains over the last few days has caused rivers Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar to flow above the danger level at several places. Partial collapse of embankments caused water to rush into low-lying areas and vast char lands. Devour of houses, schools and other structures into rivers made people homeless. Huge areas of cropland also went under water in the flood-hit regions.
More areas of Rangpur, Rajshahi and Sylhet divisions are under threat as the flood situation worsens. Stranded people are living on embankments and roads. But as it appears that the local authorities are yet to provide relief materials to them while the authorities in Dhaka appears not capable to grasp the danger to public health from water borne diseases and water contamination.
The situation has critically worsened at Kurigram where around 40,000 people at 42 unions have been marooned by the rushing water from Brahmaputra, Dudhkumar, Dharla, Teesta and the Gangadhar rivers. Over 25,000 people have been marooned in the char areas of Gaibandha where many are living with cattle herd and poultry on roads and embankments. Cracks have developed at local flood control dyke and Water Development Board (WDB) is using sandbag to save it. People are also seriously affected by flood at Sunamganj.
Water-borne diseases are already taking heavy tool as danger of infectious diseases is looming large at all flood-hit regions. So people may be temporarily moved to nearby upland and public buildings where it is available. Whenever a flood-hits, lack of clean water and sanitation reaches dangerous levels. So the government and its local authorities must mobilize all resources quickly and efficiently to reduce the people’s sufferings until they can return home.
The affected people must have access to drinkable water and hygienic sanitation quickly, in addition to food and warm clothes. Moreover, the government must take immediate steps to repair the embankments to protect the affected localities from similar dangers that may befall again.
