Lalmonirhat flood situation worsens
Half lakh people marooned amid food, drinkable water crises
The overall flood situation in Lalmonirhat district has worsened as water of Teesta River is now flowing 25 centimetres above the danger level at Dowani Point of the river today.
Around half lakh people of 60 villages in five upazilas under the district have already got marooned by floodwater from Teesta and Dharla rivers, our Lalmonirhat correspondent reports quoting Bajle Karim, sub-divisional engineer of the district’s Water Development Board.
Besides, water of Dharla River also increased and it is now flowing only one centimetre below the danger level at Kulaghat Point in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila, the WDB official said.
“Onrush of water from upstream and incessant rainfall caused the flood in the district and many embankments of Teesta and Dharla rivers are now under threat of collapse,” he said.
Raheda Begum, 45, a flood victim at Bagdora village, said their all household goods and domestic animals were washed away by the floodwater on Thursday night.
“We were forced to take shelter beside road and now we are facing acute crises of food and drinking water,” she said.
Mozahar Ali, 56, another flood victim of Gobordhan village in Aditmari upazila of the district, said that the tube-wells in the area were submerged in floodwater, causing acute crisis of drinkable water.
“We are now living on just dry food like chira (flattened rice), muri (puffed rice) gur (molasses), bread and biscuit as our earthen stoves and kitchens were washed away in the flood,” he said.
“There is only water everywhere and thus we are passing our days jobless for the last four days,” said Nur Mohammad, 48, of the same village, adding that he and his family members are living half-starved since they are yet to receive any relief aid from the government or any other aid organisations.
Around 68 metric tonnes of rice have been distributed among the flood affected people in the area since this morning, said Lalmonirhat Deputy Commissioner Abu Jafor.
“I sent a letter to the relief and rehabilitation ministry yesterday seeking more relief materials for the flood victims,” the DC said adding that he is monitoring the flood situation.