Flood situation worsens in Jamalpur: 1.5 lakh people stranded

Flood situation in Jamalpur worsened further as the Jamuna river was flowing 84 cm above danger mark (19.5m) at Bahadurabad Ghat point in Dewanganj upazila as of this noon.

Meanwhile, the Brahmaputra river also swelled up to 34 cm at Jamalpur-Sherpur Bridge point in the last 24 hours, our Jamalpur correspondent reports quoting Water Development Board officials.

Due to the floods, around 1.5 lakh people of 27 unions under six upazilas are stranded and houses of a good number of people living in low-lying areas have also been inundated, said sources at the district administration.

Chinaduli, Belgachha, Kulkandi, Noarpara, Sapdhari, Pathorshi and Sadar union of Islampur upazila and Chukaibari, Chikajani and Bahadurabad unions of Dewanganj upazila are the worst flood-hit areas, said local administrations.

Around 320 people of Chinaduli, Belgachha and Kulkandi unions have already taken shelters at four flood shelters set up at educational institutions, said Mizanur Rahman, UNO of Islampur Upazila.

A total of 173 families of several cluster villages in Chukaibari union of Dewanganj Upazila were shifted to four flood shelters as their houses went under water, said Dewanganj UNO Sultana Razia, adding, the families were provided with masks, soap, saline and emergency medicines to contain the spread of coronavirus.

"A good number of flood-hit people along with their livestock in Chinaduli union have taken shelters on roads and high lands. They are passing days under the open sky. They are in need of dry food and drinking water that are yet to be provided by the administration," said Abdus Salam, chairman of the union.

Around 65 hectares of Aman seedbeds, 286 hectares of Aus, 293 hectares of vegetables, 6 hectares of sesame, 5 hectares of maize and 3,632 hectares of jute in the district went under water, said Aminul Islam, deputy director of department of agriculture extension.