Staff Reporter :The overall flood situation in the northern districts of the country aggravated on Saturday due to torrential rains and onrush of hilly waters.The flash flood took a critical turn especially, in the northern region, inundating more areas and rendering over two lakh people homeless as water entered dwelling houses in Sirajganj, Bogra, Gaibandha and Sunamganj Nilphamari, Sherpur and Kurigram districts. The situation may further deteriorate in some areas of Sunamganj, Bogra, Sylhet and Gaibandha districts in next 24 hours, Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre forecast warned.The FFWC says water levels in all major rivers are on rise and the trend may continue tomorrow (Monday) as well. The sufferings of the affected people intensified due to unabated torrential rains for the last three days in those places. Besides causing untold miseries to lakhs of people the current flood caused damage to many dwelling houses and standing crops over thousands acres of lands.Meanwhile, an acute scarcity of foods, drinking water and fodder has been prevailing in these districts since Thursday. Waterborne diseases, including diarrhoea, may break out in the affected districts where flood situation remained static in the last two days.Besides, train service on Mymensingh-Jamalpur route remained suspended for three hours on Saturday as rail tracks went under water in Mymensingh after the the highest rainfall yesterday.According to the information of Bangladesh Meteorological Department,the north central and northeastern part of Bangladesh is experiencing medium to heavy rainfall, which may continue tomorrow (Monday).According to the flash flood guidance systems’ latest update there is a flash flood alert from Saturday to tomorrow (Monday) at Sylhet, Sunamhanj and surroundings.North central and northeastern part of the country is experiencing heavy rainfall which may continue today (Sunday).In Sirajganj, some 250 meters flood control ring embankment at Baliagghuri of sadar upzila was devoured in the River Jamuna washing away about 100 houses in the area. Besides, over one thousand houses and a number of educational institutions and hundreds of crop lands are at stake due to river erosion.Fearing river erosion, the panic stricken people from village Balighuri, Simla, Panch Tahkuri, Charpara, Itali and Bheowmara have taken shelter on WAPDA embankment. In Bogra, three upazilas namely Sariakandi, Dhunat and Gabtali have been inundated by floodwater as 20 metre of an under-construction dam along the Jamuna River has been damaged.Water is entering through the damaged part of the flood controlling dam in Sariakandi upazila. Houses and paddy fields of the three upazilas were submerged by the floodwater.Locals said the WDB was constructing the dam at a cost of Tk 20 crore on the west bank of the Jamuna in Sariakandi upazila. It suddenly collapsed on Friday afternoon. The Jamuna is flowing above the danger level.In Sunamganj, due to continuous rainfall and upstream water from the hill, the water level in the Surma is flowing above 35cm of the danger level in Sholaghar point on Saturday. The flood has affected different areas of Sadar, Doarabazar and Chhatak upazilas.Apart from these, the flood situation has deteriorated in Nilphamari and Kurigram, with an increase in water level of different rivers, including the Teesta. In Nilphamari, the water level in the Teesta River has risen due to heavy rain and onrush from the upstream in India. The river is now flowing close to the danger level. Forty-four sluice gates of the Tessta Barrage have been opened to keep the water flow under control. Water started entering the low-lying areas in the basin of the Teesta river. In Kurigram, the overall flood situation has worsened due to incessant rainfalls and onrush of water from the upstream.The water level in the 16 rivers has risen. The water level in the Dharala and the Teesta is close to the danger level in the district.Many low-lying areas have been inundated in seven upazilas of the district. About 50,000 people have been marooned.In Sherpur, onrush water in the Someshwari River from the hills triggered by heavy rainfall flooded many areas in the Jhenaigati upazila and damaged a 50-foot portion of the Jhenaigati-Bhatpur road.In Lalmonihat, the flood situation deteriorated as the Teesta was flowing above the danger level. Till Saturday, the water was flowing above the danger mark.Meanwhile, Met office forecast that trough of low lies over northwest Bay. Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and weak to moderate elsewhere over north Bay. Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at a few places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions with moderately heavy falls at places over the country.
