The flood situation slightly improved in Khagrachhari hill district as rains stopped yesterday afternoon.

In costal Patuakhali, intermittent rains continued for the fourth day yesterday, inundating low-lying areas.

Meherpur, downpour inundated low lying areas of Sadar, Gangni and Mujibnagar upazilas, affected at least 200 out of 270 villages in the district. Meteorological department recorded 325 mm rainfall in 24 till 8 am Friday.

In Feni, the situation deteriorated as fresh areas were flooded in Fulgazi and Pashuram upazilas.

In Rangpur, the Teesta recorded fall, improving the situation.

Our Khagrachhari Correspondent reports:
Rains stopped in Khargachhari at about 2 pm after a downpour since morning, recording 59 mm rainfall in about eight hours. The two hill riversChengi and Maineeremained static after overflowing banks at several points and flooding vast areas in six upazilas.

Officials said the situation will improve fast if there is no rain. Deputy Director District Agriculture Extension Department (AED) TM Monjurul Islam said they recorded 47 mm rainfall on Thursday and 50 mm on Friday.

District administration officials said flood situation improved in some areas as flow of the two hill rivers remained by and large static since morning but it remained static in rest of the affected areas.

As waters rolled down, the situation improved in Natunpara and Konchairepara in Panchhari upazila; Betchhari in Dighinala; APBN area; Muslimpara and Perachhara in Sadar; Kaladeva, Fenirkul and Masterpara in Ramgarh upazila; Shantipur, Belchhari and New Ajoddah in Matiranga and some villages in Manikchhari, Laxmichhari and Mohalchhari upazilas, the officials said.

Till yesterday afternoon, the situation remained unchanged in Merung, Kobakhali, Youngrachhari, Choto Merung, Bara Merung, Merung Bazar and Babuchhara in Dighinala upazila; Ganjapara, Muslimpara and Shabdamiapara in Sadar upazila and Fatemanagor and Latiban under Panchhari upazila.

Several thousand affected people took shelter on high lands and structures. The local administration and Khagrachhari municipality distributed cooked and dry foods, biscuits and drinking water among the affected people.

Khagrachhari Municipality Chairman Joynal Abedin said they are helping the affected people and would rehabilitate them once the waters recede.

Additional District Magistrate Shamsuddhoha said the district administration with cooperation from upazila administrations is providing all out assistance to the affected people.

The administration said about 500 families are marooned in Dighinala upazila. They have allotted 450 maunds of rice and 100 maunds of chira (dried food) for the affected people.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Mohammad Khalilur Rahman, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Mohammad Shamsuddoha, Assistant Police Superintendent Mohammad Tareq Ahmad, Khagrachhari Hill District Council Chairman Monindra Lal Tripura and municipality chairman Joynal Abedin visited flood affected areas, sources said.

Our Sirajganj Correspondent reports:
Incessant rain and onrush of waters from the upstream further swelled Jamuna, its tributaries Korotoa, Fulzorh and Ichhamoti and Brammhaputra rivers, inundating fresh areas in Sirajganj yesterday.

Water Development Board (WDB) sources said around 40 unions covering shoal areas and Chalon Beel reeled under water yesterday. Two spars on the Jamuna at Enayetpur and Meghai are threatened by the strong current of the river. Workers engaged by WDB under supervision of army are trying to protect the spars.

Jamuana swelled by 17 centimeters near Sirajganj town in 24 hours till yesterday morning but was flowing below the danger mark. It will cross the danger mark if the water rises at the present rate, WDB sources said.

Officials said at least 65 villages in Tarash, Kazipur, Sirajganj, Belkuchi, Chowhali and Shahzadpur upazilas were inundated yesterday.

Meanwhile, body of a woman among the six victims who drowned in a boat capsize in Chalan Beel on Friday, was recovered yesterday. It was identified as that of Anjuara Khatun, 27. She was wife of Anwar Hossain, police said.

Agriculture Extension Department recorded about 300 mm rainfall in last four days.

Our Patuakhali Correspondent reported that four days' rains inundated vast areas in five upazilas of the district. The affected upazilas are Kalapara, Mithaganj, Chakamaya, Nilganj and Latachapali.

Local meteorological department recorded 124 mm rainfall in 24 hours till 4 pm yesterday. Rains continued till yesterday evening.

Illegal small embankments built on canals for fishery projects created water-logging in the areas.

Officials said a large number of farmers yesterday staged demonstrations in different areas for removal of the illegal embankments to allow flow of water and remove the water-logging.

Assistant Director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority Shahidullah Mia yesterday said plying of small launches on 21 routes in the district was stopped till further notice due to inclement weather. Local ports have been advised to keep hoisted cautionary signal No 2.

At least 500 fishing trawlers are idle in ports due to rough sea, sources said.

Our Staff Correspondent reports from Khulna: Downpour at short intervals paralysed life in Khulna city yesterday.

The local meteorological department recorded 138 mm rainfall in ten hours in Khulna city and adjoining areas.

Most of the schools were compelled to suspend academic activities due to thin attendance of students.

Office goers waded knee-deep water in most areas of the city to go to workplaces.

Rains inundated washed away shrimps from at least 200 farms and inundated vast crop lands in the district, officials said.

BSS adds from Feni:
The flood situation in Fulgazi and Parshuram upazilas in Feni district deteriorated yesterday due to heavy rain and onrush of water from hill across the border.

Hundreds of people in the two upazilas were marooned as all the roads were submerged. Both the upazilas remained disconnected from the district headquarters, according to Water Development Board (WDB) sources.

Cracks developed at least at 23 points on the embankment of Muhuri and Kahua rivers due to onrush of water, marooning 30,000 people.

Water was flowing 75cm above the danger mark at different points of Muhuri and Kahua rivers yesterday evening.

The district administration and the Red Crescent Society distributed relief materials including rice, lentil edible oil, and clothes among 1500 affected families.

BSS adds from Rangpur:
The situation improved significantly in the Teesta basin following sharp falls in the water level of the river at all points.

But other rivers and tributaries continued to rise in Rangpur area.

About 1,500 people in low-lying shoal areas of Dimla, Domar, Jaldhaka, Hatibandha, Kaliganj, Admitmari, Sundarganj, Rajarhat, Gangachara, Pirgacha and Kawnia upazilas in greater Rangpur in Teesta basins are marooned.

The Teesta marked a fall by 29 cm during the period and was flowing 34 cm below the danger mark at Dalia in Nilphamari at 6 am yesterday

The river also marked a fall by one cm in Kawnia and was flowing 148 cm below the danger mark.

Water Development Board (WDB) sources said the Dharla marked a sharp rise by 36 cm during the period and was flowing only 86 cm below the danger mark at Kurigram, deteriorating the flood situation in the district.

The Dudhkumar marked a further rise by 4cm and was flowing only 82 cm below its danger mark at Noonkhawa in Kurigram.

WDB recorded 14.5mm rainfall at Kurigram, 11 3mm at Chilmari, 6mm at Rangpur, 10mm at Dalia and 3mm at Kawnia during 24 hours till 6 am yesterday.

Executive engineers of WDB Atikur Rahman and Akmal Hossain told BSS that the present situation in quite stable as all rivers and tributaries were flowing below danger marks.