Lalmonirhat flood-hit people face food, drinking water crisis

The overall flood situation in Lalmonirhat remained unchanged yesterday. 

Flood victims in the Teesta and Dharla river chars are facing acute shortage of food and drinking water. Many people have taken shelter on government roads as floodwater has submerged their houses. A flood shelter and a government primary school in Char Kharuya village under Sadar upazila are under threat of collapsing as they are only 150 metres from the Dharla river.

“People take refuge in the flood shelter and the school during flood. If these two buildings collapse, the people of Char Kharuya, Char Bowalmari, Char Bansh Pochai, Majher Char, Jatiner Char and Char Gorokmandol will badly suffer,” said Mogholhat Union Parishad Chairman Habibur Rahman.

Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jayashree Rani Roy said she visited the spot yesterday and requested the district Water Development Board (WDB) authorities to take step to save the buildings.

“Dry food like bread, chira, muri and gur and water purification tablets are being distributed among the flood victims,” she said.

District WDB Executive Engineer Abdullah Al-Mamun said the flood shelter and primary school at Kharuya are under serious threat.

"I informed the higher authorities and hope to start work to save them soon,” he said, adding that the overall flood situation may improve in the next 24 hours as the water of two major rivers Teesta and Dharla was flowing below the danger mark yesterday noon.

Achhiya Begum, 44, of the same char, said she and her three children, staying at a temporary shelter on a government road, have not eaten since Friday morning.

Representational image. File photo

“We are also facing drinking water crisis as tube-wells are under floodwater,” she said.

Deputy Commissioner Shafiul Arif said 35 tonnes of rice has been allocated for flood victims. “I have sent a letter seeking allocation of 500 tonnes of rice for flood victims to the ministry concerned,” Sharif said, adding that floodwater has started receding.

Meanwhile, flood situation in the Dharla, Teesta and Dudhkumar and Brahmaputra rivers in Kurigram has improved, reports our correspondent.

Our Sylhet correspondent adds: Overall flood situation in Sylhet and Sunamganj continued to improve during the last couple of days and the damage caused by the flood is visible.