50 thousand marooned as Teesta crosses danger level

Around 50 thousand people were marooned in 80 villages of 16 unions under the district as the low-lying char lands of Teesta and Dharla river basin areas got flooded due to downpour and onrush of water from the upstream for the last two days.

The water level of the River Teesta was flowing above 10 centimetres of its danger mark at Dowani of Teesta Barrage point in Hatibandha upazila yesterday noon, said officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (WDB).

The Dharla River was flowing only one centimetre below the danger level at Kulaghat of Lalmonirhat Sadar at the time.

All the 44 gates of Teesta Barrage were kept open yesterday dawn as there was heavy flow of water from the upstream in India, said WDB officials at Dalia.

People of 80 villages got marooned in Teesta and Dharla river basin chars and low-lying areas in Hatibandha, Kaliganj, Aditmari, Patgram and Sadar upazilas of Lalmonirhat district, said Abu Bakkar, executive engineer of WDB in Lalmonirhat.

More people living in river basin areas of the district are facing flood as the water level of Teesta and Dharla rivers sees alarming rise, he said.

Noor Jahan Bewa, 65, an affected woman at Gobordhan village in Aditmari upazila, said, she along with 10 other family members got marooned due to sudden rise of water from the Teesta yesterday dawn.

"Some villagers went away to the safe places, but many others like us are still staying here,” she said.

“We have gone to a safe place on WDB road as flood water from the Teesta River entered our houses, but we couldn't take our things from the houses,” said Habibur Rahman,45, of the same village.

“Aman paddy saplings in the village went under the flood water. If the water doesn't recede in a short time, the saplings would be damaged and we will face problem in aman cultivation,” said Mahmud Islam, 55, a farmer at Bowalmari char in Lalmonirhat Sadar.