Floods worsen in Sylhet
With three major rivers -- the Surma, Kushiyara and Sari-Gowain -- swelling beyond the danger level, the flood situation in Sylhet district has worsened in seven upazilas and the Sylhet city area.
As the vast areas of Kanaighat, Zakiganj, Gowainghat, Jaintiapur, Companiganj, Beanibazar, Fenchuganj upazilas and Sylhet city areas have been submerged, thousands are facing food and drinking water crisis.
The district administration has allotted over 100 tonnes of rice for the affected people, but many are yet to receive any aid.
Kawsar Ahmed of Shahgoli village in Zakiganj upazila said, "Naturally, it floods in late June or in July. But this year, the flood happened early, distressing thousands of people. There is an acute crisis of drinking water. There will also be food crisis if the flood lasts long."
Abdul Hye Al-Hadi, chief coordinator of Save the Heritage and Environment, said, "The situation is deteriorating every day. The government should declare the flood-affected areas as "distress zones" under Section 22 of the Disaster Management Act 2012, so that humanitarian aid reaches all people before it's too late."
The Surma was flowing 152cm above the danger level in Kanaighat upazila headquarters point at 3:00pm yesterday, reported Flood Forecasting and Weather Centre (FFWC).
At the same time, the Kushiyara was flowing 126cm above the danger mark at Amolshid point in Zakiganj upazila and above 26cm in Shewla point in Beanibazar upazila. The Sari-Gowain river was flowing 30cm above the danger level in Sarighat point in Jaintiapur upazila, the report read.
Moreover, the Surma is flowing just 1cm below the danger level at Sylhet city point and 14cm below at Sunamganj town point.
On Sunday, the Surma was flowing 122cm above the danger level at Kanaighat point, the Kushiyara at 96cm at Amolshid point and Sari-Gowain 5cm at Sarighat point.
FFWC has forecast that the flood situation will worsen in the district in the next 24 hours till today 9:00 as heavy rainfall is forecasted in the region and India's Meghalaya and Assam provinces.
Asif Ahmed, executive engineer of Bangladesh Water Development Board in Sylhet, said, "Although it is not raining heavily in Sylhet district, the rainfall in [India's] Meghalaya and Assam states is excessive and the transboundary rivers are swelling. In most areas, the water level has crossed the embankment and is entering the locality and we have nothing to do to stop it."
Meanwhile in Sunamganj, low-lying areas of Tahirpur and Bishwambharpur upazilas have already been flooded and, as the Surma is flowing close to the danger level, a flood warning was issued by the local administration.
According to FFWC, water level of the Ganges is stable, but the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Padma, Dharla, Teesta and Dudhkumar rivers are swelling due to torrential rainfall.