Flood in North, Northeast: Many yet to get relief materials

Flood-hit people in different regions are going through hard times with little access to food and drinking water as many of them are yet to get the government relief materials.

Many have taken shelter on dykes, roads and flood centres with their livestock and valuables as their houses have been washed away and crops have been damaged.

Government officials in most of the districts said they have already allocated rice, dry food, cash and other relief materials that would be distributed within a day or two.

In Jamalpur, over 1.5 lakh of six upazilas have been marooned due to the flood. Many of them have claimed they did not receive any relief from the government.

Dewanganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sultana Razia, however, said the local administration has provided masks, soap, saline and emergency medicines among the flood-hit people to contain the spread of coronavirus.

In Kurigram and Lalmonirhat, over 3.5 lakh people in 14 upazilas of the two districts have been hit hard by the flood. They are in dire need of food and drinking water.

A portion of the water development board's dam on the right bank of Dharla River was washed away by floodwaters in Kurul area of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

The district administrations allocated rice and cash for the victims, but the distribution was yet to be started, said district administration officials.

In Sylhet and Sunamganj, over 300,000 people have been affected by the flood and many of them claimed they have not yet received any government relief.

District administration in the two districts, however, said they started relief distribution.

In Sirajganj, road communication was disrupted as the Jamuna was flowing 46cm above the danger level yesterday at Kazipur point.

Relief distribution among the victims will be started within a day or two, said Jahid Hasan Siddique, UNO of Kazipur upazila.

In Mymensingh, some 20 houses were devoured and many houses are at high risk of being washed away by the Brahmaputra in Moricharchar area in Ishwarganj upazila

In Nilphamari, over 20,000 people have been affected by the flood in Dimla upazila. Local administration yesterday distributed some cash among the victims.

Our correspondents from Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat, Sylhet, Pabna, Mymensingh and Nilphamari contributed to the story.