Flood situation deteriorating
The flood situation in the north and northeastern regions is deteriorating day by day as the water in the Jamuna, Teesta, Dharla, Ghagot and several other rivers was flowing above the danger level, forcing thousands of people to move from their houses.
Three persons including two children drowned in floodwater in Sirajganj and Gaibandha on Tuesday and yesterday. The victims are Abu Huraira, 3, son of Khorshed Ali, and Fahima Khatun, 2, daughter of Fulchan Ali, of Khukni village of Shahjadpur upazila in Sirajganj and Lal Chand, 50, of Utter Khatiyamari village in Fulchhari in Gaibandha.
The government in different places has started distributing relief among the flood-affected people, but many claimed the assistance was inadequate.
Cropland in the vast flood-affected areas has also gone under water.
In Rajbari, the Ghat No. 2, 3 and 4 of Daulatdia Ferry Terminal are now under serious threat of erosion for the onrush of water in the Padma, said Shafiqul Islam, manager (commerce) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at Daulatdia office.
In Manikganj, water of the Jamuna is flowing 26 centimetres above danger level at Aricha point causing flood in different areas in the district.
On the other side, the water of the Ichhamati, Kaliganga and Dhaleshwari rivers is also increasing.
In Sirajganj, the Jamuna is flowing 59 cm above the danger level since Tuesday, according to the district administration.
“The water level is rising rapidly in last couple of days and is now flowing 59 cm above the danger level,” said Md Wali Uddin, district relief and rehabilitation officer.
Around 20,000 people have been marooned in the district, he added.
In Jamalpur, the flood situation has drastically worsened as the water level in the Jamuna rose by 18 cm at Bahadurabad Ghat point in 24 hours as of yesterday afternoon, said sources in the Water Development Board (WDB).
As many as 33 unions of six upazilas have been affected in the flood, the sources said.
Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said around 2,450 hectares of cropland in the flood-hit upazilas has been inundated.
Classes at 231 government primary schools, 66 secondary schools, 30 madrasas and seven colleges have been suspended due to flood.
Eight flood centres have been set up in Islampur and Dewanganj upazilas where 5,000 flood-hit families have been shifted, said Russell Sabrin, additional deputy commissioner (general), Jamalpur.
He added 173 tonnes of rice, Tk 2.2 lakh in cash and 1,000 packets of dry food were distributed among the flood-hit people.
Abdus Salam, chairman of Chinaduli Union Parishad, however said the amount of relief was too inadequate.
In Munshiganj, water in the Padma was flowing 19 cm above the danger level with a rise by nine centimetres yesterday. A number of families have been marooned in the upazila.
In Lalmonirhat, water level of the Dharla river increased by four centimetres and was flowing 106 cm above the danger level. The Teesta river, on the other side, was flowing five centimetres above the danger level yesterday morning.
At least 150,000 people of 35,000 families have been affected by flood in the district.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Office sources said 411 tonnes of rice, Tk 6 lakh in cash and huge quantity of dry food have already been distributed among the flood- and erosion-hit people in last one week.
Nuru Miah, 65, resident of a flood-affected village, said he and many others did not get any relief.
In Moulvibazar, the Monu and the Dholai rivers were flowing near the danger level, posing a threat to the adjacent 50 embankments.
Floodwater has already started to breach the Hazipur embankment in Kulaura upazila since Monday night, although it was repaired a month ago.
In Gaibandha, huge onrush of water in the Ghagot river was posing a threat to at least five points in the Sadullapur-Laxmipur flood control embankment.
More than a 100-foot stretch of the embankment has collapsed due to strong surge of water as the water was flowing above the danger mark.
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