Flash flood turns worse
Vast areas in Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Sherpur, Netrakona, Sirajganj inundated
Staff Correspondent
Torrential rain and onrush of water from India have resulted in flash flood throughout a vast expanse of several districts, destroying crops, washing away houses and creating untold sufferings for millions of people. A large area in Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Sherpur, Netrakona, Sirajganj has been submerged as water level in different rivers rose further. People in the various flood-affected areas are living a miserable life, suffering from scarcity of food and pure drinking water, while children are falling sick in hundreds. Around 5 lakh people of Sherpur district were marooned as onrush of water from across the border broke the Chellakhaly and Vogai river dams and inundated some forty unions of the district. Floodwater washed away a part of the Satla-Bagda embankment and submerged a huge area of Uzirpur and Agailjhara upazila in Barisal district. The three-day non-stop downpour has sent almost the entire Patuakhali town under water, while some 300 metres of the flood control dam in Kalapara was washed away by the consistently rising floodwater. Flood situation has also deteriorated in Netrakona. Six upazilas of the district are marooned, creating untold suffering for some two lakh people. Six upazilas of Sirajganj district have been badly affected by the flood exposing some 50,000 people of the area to intolerable suffering. The government response has been inadequate except for a few areas. In Sherpur, the district administration has allocated Tk 1 lakh, 50 tonne rice and dry food, of which Tk 30,000 has already been distributed, said MAN Siddique, DC of Sherpur.
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A woman in a desperate bid to collect drinking water tries to adjust suction of a tube-well with dirty water after the entire neighbourhood of Matuail in the capital submerged due to delugesc. PHOTO: Anisur Rahman |
