35 chars out of 90 in Lalmonirhat flooded

A flood-hit family of Char Dawabari in Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat district puts the corrugated iron roof of their house onto a boat to take it to a safer place. Photo: Star

At least 35 out of 90 chars (landmasses emerged from riverbed)  of the Teesta River in the district got flooded due to onrush of water from upstream on Saturday evening.
The worst affected areas include Char Quader, Char Maniram, and Char Kuchlibari under Patgram upazila; Char Gaddimari, Char Dawabari, Char Sindurna, Char Madhya Gaddimari, Char Paruliya, Char Chhawani, Char Saniyazan, and Char Purbo Sindurna under Hatibandha upazila; Char Sholmari, Char Kalikapur, Char Kakina, Char Votmari, Char Nader, Char Jamirbari, and Char Rudreshwar under Kaliganj upazila; Char Gobordhan, Char Narsingh, Char Nayarhat, Char Kutirpar, Char Balapara, and Char Chanderhat under Aditmari upazila; Char Kalmari, Char Milonbazar, Char Tajpur, Char Khuniyagachh, Char Rajpur, Char Gokunda, Char Kurul, Char Kulaghat, Bowalmari Char, Char Kharuya, and Char Nagartari under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.
Croplands in the affected char lands have gone under water and many people have started leaving their submerged houses for safer places.
While visiting Char Dawabari in Hatibandha upazila yesterday this correspondent found over 100 families along with their belongings heading for safer places.
One Yasin Ali Mollah of the area said he had shifted his family and the corrugated iron roof of his house to a safer place. Some other people living in the char land have also shifted the roofs of their house to safer places, he added.
Montezar Rahman of Char Sholmari under Kaliganj upazila said they face the same situation during the rainy season every year and have to take shelter at safer places.
Water Development Board (WDB) office sources said, the Teesta was flowing one centimeter above the danger level at Dowani point in Hatibandha upazila yesterday morning.