The flood situation has been improved slightly in northern part of the country while it is deteriorating in the central region, particularly Dhaka and its adjacent districts. The flood situation may remain unchanged in some other districts for two to three more days, according to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
Although the situation started improving slightly in the northern districts, the sufferings of the flood-affected people have been increased due to lack of relief materials, dry food and pure drinking water and the outbreak of different waterborne diseases.
According to the FFWC, the water flow in the Padma River was in rising trend on Monday, while it may rise further for two more days. However, the Brahmmaputra, the Jamuna and the Ganges were in falling trend.
Ripon Karmaker, Assistant Engineer of the FFWC, said that the Brahmmaputra, the Jamuna, the Ganges and the Meghna might likely continue to fall in the next two days. However, the rivers around Dhaka City-the Buriganga, the Balu, the Turag and the Tongi Khal– may likely to rise today (Tuesday). Flood situation in the districts of Shariatpur, Madaripur, Munshiganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Kurigram, Rangpur, Gaibandha Bogra, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Tangail and Sunamganj may likely to improve while the flood situation in Manikganj may remain unchanged.
According to the FFWC, waters at least in 18 stations of the country’s rivers were flowing above the danger levels on Monday. The Ghagot at Gaibandha, the Brahmaputra at Chilmari, the Jamuna at Bahadurabad, Sariakandi, Sirajganj, and Aricha were flowing above the danger marks by 24 cm, 1 cm, 30 cm, 73 cm, 23cm, 40 cm 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 10 cm, 87 cm, 39 cm, 23cm, 26 cm, 30 cm, 60 cm, 25 cm, 10 cm, 21 cm and 68 cm.
The water rise in the Turag River is a serious concern for further deterioration of flood situation in Dhaka and its adjacent areas. For this reason, the flood situation may deteriorate in Manikganj.
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. But the government claimed that there was a good stock of relief materials in the affected districts.
The flood victims are not getting relief materials and other assistance according to their needs. In this backdrop, the local administration claimed that they are distributing the relief materials but they are facing hardship to reach some remote areas due to the huge current in the rivers and collapse of the road communications.
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. A large number of the farmers are now homeless alongside with the damage of their crops.
Despite falls in the water levels, the Brahmmaputra was still flowing above the danger mark. In this backdrop, a large number of the people in the northern districts, including Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur and Nilphamari, are still marooned by flood. Allegations are that the government relief materials were insufficient among the flood affected people in the Brahmmaputra basin.
The WDB authorities have been conducting emergency protection works at several damaged points of the embankments.
