Flood worsens in 5 districts

Flood situations in Bogra, Jamalpur, Gaibandha, Tangail and Pabna have been deteriorating as the Jamuna and Padma rivers were flowing above the danger level, flooding some new places yesterday.

Many people in different shoal areas of the Teesta and Jamuna basin under four upazila of Gaibandha have been marooned as the Jamuna was flowing 14 centimetres above the danger mark.

During visits to the affected areas, many of the houses were seen under knee-deep water. Sixteen unions of four upazilas have so far been affected by floodwater.

Jalaluddin, chairman of Kapasia Union Parishad in Sundarganj upazila, said eight wards of his union went under water where about 3,000 people had been marooned.

Almost all the village roads went under water, leaving communication suspended. Banana tree rafts were the only means of transport for the affected people, who were taking shelter on dry land and dyke with their cattle and poultry.

Cropland, houses and roads in Shaghata union went under water, leaving the marooned people with no work to feed their families.

The disaster management and relief ministry has allocated 125 maunds of rice and Tk 4 lakh for the affected people.

In Jamalpur, around 40,000 people have been marooned in seven unions in Islampur upazila, four in Dewanganj, three in Sharishabari and two in Melandah.

Kulkandi, Sapdhari, Belgachha, Noarpara and Chinaduli under Islampur and Chukaibari and Chikajani under Dewanganj were affected badly, said local government sources.

“Around 10,000 people of my union remained marooned for last three days. Most of them are living on dry food,” said Chinaduli UP Chairman Abdus Salam.

“Only 50 packets of dry food were distributed among the badly-affected people. The supply was too scanty for such a huge number of people,” he added.

Forty-three primary schools, six high schools, six madrasas and one college were declared closed because of flood.

Around 3 lakh fish fry released in two beels in Islampur upazila were washed away with the floodwater, said Abdul Majid, district fisheries officer.

In Bogra, 30 villages in six unions of Shariakandi, five villages in two unions of Sonatola and four villages in two unions of Dhunat upazilas were inundated.

At least 20,000 people of the areas were affected, local upazila and WDB sources said.

Around 2,200 hectares of Aush paddy, 1,900 hectares of jute, 25 hectares of seedlings and 35 hectares of vegetables was inundated, according to Department of Agricultural Extension.

Nur-e-Alam Siddiki, deputy commissioner of Bogra, said 120 tonnes of rice and Tk 1 lakh were allocated for the affected people in Shariakandi and Sonatola upazila.

The government had allocated sufficient amount of relief for the affected people, he added.

The Jamuna was flowing 21cm over the danger mark at Nolin point in Tangail, leaving several thousand people of the low-lying villages in three upazilas marooned.

The affected areas are three unions of Bhuapur upazila and one union each in Kalihati and Gopalpur upazilas.

More than 100 villages in 28 unions of Pabna have gone under water.

WDB Executive Engineer of Sirajganj Hasan Imam said the water level in the Jamuna might increase in next four to five days.