Staff Reporter :
Flood in Sylhet region following breach in embankments on Koshiara river bank on Monday worsened the situation in Beanibazar Upazila while inundating more areas of Uttarbagh union of Rajnagar Upazia in Moulvibazar district. Breach in Mono dyke also inundated 20 to 25 villages in the locality.
A team of army personnel is at work to stop the gushing water from entering the locality by dumping sand bags and soil and other materials to strengthen the dyke.
Water Development Board sources said flood situation in the Moulovi Bazar district aggravated as heavy rain water is coming from the source of Mono River from inside India. Water level started rising in rivers Koshiara, Monu and Dholai from last week carrying rain water from India on the upstream. From June 12 a embankment on river Monu and Dholai have broken at least 1t 19 points causing floods at Kulaura, Komolgonj and Rajnagar upazila of the district.
It has inundated Moulovi Bazar town and parts of the sadar upazila. Large parts of the MOulovi Bazar town are still under knee deep water. Most part of Habigonj district also remained paralyzed by flood water coming down from Moulovi Bazar and upstream areas.
Communication in most part of Moulovi Bazar area remained snapped as local roads have gone under water disrupting movement.
UNB adds: Some 40,000 residents of the district’s Beanibazar upazila have been marooned in flashfloods amidst alarming rise of water levels in Surma, Kushiara and Sonai rivers.
According to sources, at least four upazilas in the district have their communication system cut off from the rest of the country. Beanibazar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kazi Arifur Rahman said breaching of dikes in the Kushiara River in five spots has increased the level of damage inflicted by the floods.
Hiron Mahmud, project implementation officer, said that no flood relief shelters have been established so far, but estimated that over 40,000 people have been marooned in the region.
Paresh Chandra Das, local agriculture officer, said that Aus paddy in 940 hectares out of a total 2,327 hectares of arable land has been damaged, causing an estimated loss of Tk 6.5 crore.
Upon investigation, it was found that the areas of Dubag Bazar, Mewa Point, Kakardia and others were inundated, alongside the upazila’s villages of Ramda, Sridhara, Chandgram, Tajpur and many more.
Meanwhile, Education Minister and local MP Nurul Islam Nahid visited the flooded areas in the region and distributed relief among the affected people. Upazila administration sources said that 15 MT rice and 300 packets of dry food have already been distributed from their end, with many more to follow. Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon also visited the flood-affected areas in Moulvibazar district and was reported to have distributed relief, accumulated from his personal fund and a locally-sourced aid fund.
He said that the government has enough aid materials for distribution and in their disaster management trust fund. The government has also taken steps for post-flood rehabilitation for everyone affected by the calamity.
