Water recedes, plight lingers
The flood situation is improving in the northern districts while the water level slightly increased in the central part of the country yesterday.
Many affected people are still suffering from scarcity of food, drinking water and medical services.
The situation throughout the country will improve today as water levels in all the major rivers except the Kushiyara are receding, according to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).
Heavy rainfall may occur in the south-eastern and the south-central parts of the country, said the FFWC bulletin that was updated yesterday.
Around 3.6 million people were still affected by flood in 15 districts till yesterday, according to the report of National Disaster Response Coordination Centre (NDRCC).
The government has allocated Tk 4.71 crore in cash, 27,350 tonnes rice, 1.13 lakh packets of dry food, 8,500 sets of tents and 3,700 bundles of tin as relief items for the affected people, said the NDRCC report.
Our correspondents from different districts reported on the flood situation.
In Bogura, the Jamuna river was flowing 15cm above the danger level yesterday. The river was flowing 26cm above of the danger level on Friday, said Water Development Board (WDB) officials.
“Flood situation in Bogura will continue to improve as the water level in Jamuna is unlikely to increase until August 15,” said Hasan Mahmud, executive engineer at the WDB in Bogura.
However, many people are still staying at the flood shelters, dykes and other uplands as their houses still remain inundated. Many of them are still facing a crisis of food, drinking water and sanitation.
“We are facing scarcity of drinking water as our tube-well has gone underwater. We have got a very little amount of rice and dry food which is insufficient for us,” said Afzal Hossain, a flood victim who, along with his family, took shelter in Gucchagram area of Sariakandi upaizila around a week ago.
“Many people have been suffering from skin diseases and diarrhoea, but there is no medical team here,” he also said.
Sufiya Khatun, who took shelter at Jamuna Dyke along with her family, told The Daily Star that they had to wait until night for urinating and defecating in open spaces as there were no toilets.
In Lalmonirhat, many flood victims yesterday started returning home as floodwater receded in many areas.
“After living four days in a makeshift house, we have returned home today [Saturday] as floodwater has receded,” said Nurjahan, a resident of Char Gobordhan village in Aditmari upazila.
Many claimed that they were facing a crisis of food and drinking water as the government’s relief was insufficient.
“Our home has been remaining waterlogged for around 15 days. We got 10kg of rice around 12 days ago. How would we survive with such a little amount of rice,” said Azgar Ali, 63, a flood victim of Gobordhan village in Aditmari upazila.
In Nilphamari, the flood situation improved yesterday as the Teesta river was flowing 26cm below the danger level at Dalia point, according to local WDB office.
Government’s medical team has been deployed in the upazila to control the spread of post-flood waterborne disease, said Sarwar Alam, health and family planning officer of Dimla upazila.
In Gaibandha, the water of the Brahmaputra and Ghagot started receding yesterday. However, the rivers were still flowing above the danger level.
In Manikganj, the water of the Jamuna river increased 3cm yesterday at Aricha point. However, it did not cross the danger level.
Water was flowing 20cm below the danger level while it was measured 23cm below the level on Friday.
In Rajbari, the water of the Padma river increased 1cm yesterday at Goalanda point and was flowing 8cm above the danger level, according to local WDB office.
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