Fresh areas flooded in Netrakona

Flood situation in Netrakona continues to deteriorate as fresh areas of farmland were inundated yesterday, causing immense sufferings to thousands of farmers.

Due to washing away of two more embankments-'Gachikhai' and 'Joypur' embankments in Khaliajury upazila, over 90 percent area of the upazila has gone under water, said Mohammed Tofael Ahmed, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Khaliajury.

Many areas of the upazila's Krishnapur and Nagor unions experienced fresh flood yesterday, said the UNO. A government relief of 28 tonnes of rice has been distributed among some 1000 flood victims in the upazila on Friday, the UNO said.

But the report on fresh areas affected yesterday was not received yet, said Bilash Chandra Pal, deputy director (DD) of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of the district.

Until Friday, flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall submerged around 38,115 out of 184,320 hectares of land targeted for boro cultivation in eight upazilas of Netrakona, said the deputy director.

Gopendra Das, a farmer of Krishtapur village in Khaliajury said the flood has left him helpless as his three acres of boro land was damaged.

Satu Sarker of Bigolhati and Bhajon Sarker of Baniahati villages in the upazila lamented saying, "What would be our fate as we cannot save even an inch of land from the flood?"

Standing robi crops like groundnut, wheat, potato and vegetables were also affected in the flood, local people said.

The flash flood affected mainly the haor areas as Kirtankhola embankment in Khaliajury and Dingapota Haizda embankment in Mohanganj upazila were washed away at some points, said the DD.

Though there was no rain in the last three days, the flood situation did not show any sign of improvement. The affected farmers are yet to be listed to provide with necessary supports, he said.

The flood affected people of haor areas are passing hard days due to the flash flood caused by the onrush of water from Indian hills and the government should immediately stand beside the victims, said Sanwar Hossain, chairman of Sadar union parishad of Khaliajury.

However, the flood situation remained unchanged in Kishoreganj district.

No fresh areas was flooded since Friday, said Md Shafiqul Islam, deputy director of DAE in Kishoreganj.

On Friday, 23,620 out of 165,515 hectares of land targeted for boro farming in seven upazilas of the district had gone under water, said the deputy director.

The affected boro will face a total damage as the crop was in its flowering stage, said the official.

The DAE sources said, some 30,000 farmers have been affected in the flash flood triggered due to overflow of water from the Kushiara, Kalani and Khowai rivers. The affected farmers will be provided with assistance until the next boro season, he said.