Staff Reporter :With inundation of more low-lying areas due to unabated rain and swirling flows from the upstream sources, the overall flood situation in the northern districts worsened further marooning thousands more in the region.According to our correspondents and agencies, new areas affected by rain, flood and erosion include villages in Gaibandha, Sirajganj, Bogra, Nilphamari, Sherpur, and Kurigram, Sunamganj and Sylhet districts. As the major rivers continued to rise the victims of low-lying areas are now desperately looking for safer areas. The plights of the flood victims in the affected districts are mounting as the scarcity of food, pure drinking water and medicines persists. Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) officials on Sunday said they foresee further deterioration of the situation though it might remain “unchanged” at some places in the next couple of days.The overall flood situation in some areas of Bogra, Jamalpur, Sylhet and Gaibandha districts may further deteriorate and that of Sunamganj may improve in next 24 hours, FFWC forecast warned, adding all the major rivers are on rise and the trend will continue.According to the information of Bangladesh Meteorological Department, northeastern part of Bangladesh is experiencing heavy rainfall which may continue in next 24 hours.The water levels of Brahmaputra and Surma-Kushiyara river systems may start to fall while the Ganges-Padma river levels may continue to rise in next 24 hours.The flood situation in Gaibandha, Sylhet, Kurigram and Jamalpur districts has worsened due to incessant rain and onrush of water from the upstream.In Gaibandha, overall flood situation in char areas and the river basin of the four Upazilas in the district deteriorated further as the river Brahmaputra marked rise in last 24 hours till Sunday 9 am.The officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said water level of the river Brahmaputra increased by 6 cm during the period due to incessant rain and onrush of hilly waters from the upstream.The river was flowing 21 cm above its danger mark at Fulchharighat point in the district inundating fresh areas of Sundarganj, Sadar, Fulchhari and Shaghata Upazilas.The flood affected unions are Kapasia and Chandipur under Sundarganj upazila, Kamarjani and Mollarchar under Sadar upazila, Fazlupur, Erendabari, Gozaria, Fulchhari and Urya under Fulchhari Upazila and Holdia and Saghata unions under Saghata Upazila.At least 20,000 people living on the chars of the Upazilas have been marooned creating untold sufferings and their sorrows know no bound.The standing crops particularly jute and summer vegetable of the chars and river basin areas of the Upazilas went under flood water making the growers worried.Many flood victims have taken shelter on the nearby flood control embankment and are passing their days miserably with their belongings including domestic animals and poultry birds for want of food and drinking water.Apart from this, another major river the Ghagot which runs through the main land of the district was flowing 1 cm above its danger mark at New Bridge Road point of the district town.In Sylhet, seven unions in Gowainghat upazila have been inundated by flood water. Locals said the road communication remained snapped with the upazila for the last three days.About 2,000 hectares of crop fields of the area were washed way by the flood water, according to the upazila agricultural officer Anisuzzaman.In Kurigram, flood marooned at least one lakh people in low-lying areas of around 40 unions in Sadar, Ulipur, Chilmari, Roumari and Char Rajibpur upazilas.Sources at the Water Development Board (WDB) said the water level of the Brahmaputra rose by 2cm, while that of the Dudhkumar by 5cm in the last 24 hours.The flood-affected people are in urgent need of dry food as they cannot cook food. Besides, crops and vegetables in the area have been submerged by floodwater.
