Staff Reporter :
With no improvement in weather condition, the flood situation in several districts of the country continued deteriorating, as fresh areas were inundated rendering more people homeless.
Vast areas in Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, Shariartpur, Bandarban, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar districts have been inundated due to floodwaters.
“The overall flood situation in the country’s north, northeast and south is worsening as rivers in the region continue to swell due to heavy rainfall paired by water flowing down from the upstream hilly areas,” an on duty official of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) told The New Nation on Wednesday.
The official said if the rising tendency of water level in the rivers continued, the rivers would cross its danger levels at their respective point soon, he said.
The Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and Surma rivers are in rising trend, while the Kushiyara river is in falling trend. The Brahmaputra-Jamuna rivers may likely to continue rising in the next 48 hours.
The Ganges-Padma rivers may likely to continue rising in the next 24 hours. The Surma river may likely to remain steady, while the Kushiyara river may likely to fall in the next 12hours.
The flood situation Kurigram deteriorated following further sharp rise in water levels of the major rivers inundating many low-lying char areas in the Brahmaputra basin Wednesday, official said.
Talking to journalists Aiyub Ali Sarker, Chairman, Jatrapur Union Parishad of sadar upazila said about 2000 people of ten chars were marooned.
Rafiqul Islam, an inhabitant of Porachar area, on Wednesday said some 35 families took shelter at a housing project.
Manik Miah, a member, said, some 50 families of Vogobotipur of Union Parishad have been marooned.
Abul Hossain, Chairman, Ulipur Hatia Union, said, at least 700 families of Chargujimari, Anontapur, Noydara, Gaburjan, Shaympur, Baburchar and chars areas have been marooned
Belal Hossain Master, Chairman, Begumganj Union Parishad, said over 97 families became homeless due to serious erosion by the Brahmaputra river.
Siddique Ali, a member of Moshalerchar area, said river erosion left 22 people homeless.
“We have nowhere to go. Our houses are gone,” Siddique Ali told journalists,
Meanwhile the flood-hit people, who took shelter on the flood control embankment and in school and college buildings, are facing acute crisis of food and pure drinking water.
The river erosion and stagnant floodwater destroyed hectares of the farmers’ croplands, engulfed innumerable houses of the people.
The affected people are passing their days in great misery with their belongings including domestic animals and poultry birds for want of shelter, food and drinking water.
Thousands of hectares of croplands have been transplanted and remained submerged, causing misfortune to innumerable farmers and commoners.
The flood situation has remained unchanged in Sylhet and Moulvibazar districts as waters snapping communication.
Nearly three lakh people of the districts are now facing a crisis of food and drinking water.
In Fenchuganj Upazila, boats carrying people are now plying through the main thoroughfare as most of the areas went under knee to ankle deep water.
In a more recent development, rain-induced flashfloods have left as many as 2,000 families marooned at Lama upazila in Bandarban.
Low-lying areas of the port city have also been getting flooded during high tides causing sufferings to thousands of people.
In Cox’s Bazar, a vast tract of lands in Chakoria, Ramu and Sadar upazilas have been flooded due to incessant rainfall for last five days, leaving over five lakh people marooned.
Local sources said all 17 unions in Chakoria upazila were submerged by floodwaters as Matamuhuri River has started swelling.
Twenty dwelling houses in ward-9 of the upazila were eroded by the Matamuhuri.
A vast land in Khutakhali went under 2/3 feet water after a portion of the cross dam adjacent to Purba Para and Hafezkhana area was washed away by onrush of hilly waters.
On the other hand, the River Bakkhali is swelling in Ramu, snapping Ramu-Naikhyangchhari road.
Water levels in 65 rivers stations monitored by FFWC have marked rise and 17 stations recorded fall on Wednesday.
Among the 90 monitored water level stations, seven are above danger level, a bulletin issued by the FFWC said yesterday.
According FFWC, water level of three rivers Brahmaputra, Karotoa and Teesta has been continuing to rise alarmingly for few days last predicting flood like situation in the chars and main land of the district immediately.
“Water level of the Brahmaputra river rose by 18 cm, the Karotoa by 08 cm and the Ghagot by 15 cm on Wednesday due to on rush of hilly waters from the upstream and incessant rainfall in last few days,” an official said.
On the other hand, water level of the Teesta, one of the major rivers in the district, decreased by 4 cm during the period, sources said.
The river Brahmaputra was flowing 55cm below its danger mark at Fulchharighat point, the Karota 279 cm at Katakhali Bridge point of Gobindaganj upazila, the Ghagot 71 cm at New Bridge Road point of Gaibandha town and the Teesta 111 cm at Sundarganj point of the district this morning, the sources said.
