North flooded, rivers swelling

Vast areas of the northern districts have been inundated due to flash floods caused by an onrush of water from the upstream.

People are having to suffer as road communications have been snapped, crop lands and households have been submerged and ponds have been washed away.

Meanwhile, a bulletin of the government's Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) yesterday said all the major rivers of the country are seeing a rising trend, which may continue the next 24 hours.

"The flood situation in the low-lying areas of Kurigram and Rangpur districts may slightly deteriorate in the next 24 hours," said the bulletin, released at 9:00am yesterday.

Our correspondents from different districts reported on flood situation.

In Lalmonirhat, road communication with Rangpur has been remaining suspended since Wednesday night as around a 300-meter-long portion of the road collapsed.

The water level of the Teesta is rising abnormally due to an onrush of water from the upstream, said locals.  

"We have to travel around 60 kilometers further [than we used to] to cross the route. Normally, we need around 20 minutes to go from Lalmonirhat to Rangpur. But now, we need over three hours," said Nazrul Islam, a resident of Kakina area in Kaliganj upazila.

Contacted, officials of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and Water Development Board's (WDB) said the road would be repaired after the flood recedes.

In Nilphamari, road communications with Burimari land port of Lalmonirhat remained snapped as around 400-meter-long road was washed away by the flood on Wednesday afternoon.

"Hundreds of people like me are suffering. We are now crossing the area on boats," said Taufiquzzaman Jewel, a government employee, who uses the route daily.

Imports and exports are also being halted due to the snap in road communications, said Farhanul Huque, vice president of Nilphamari chamber of commerce and industries.

In Rangpur, low lying areas of Gangachara, Pirgachha and Kaunia upazila have been flooded as the Teesta continues to swell.

Around 20,000 people of those areas have been affected, while several hectares of crop land have been inundated and fish of several ponds were washed away, said locals.

The Teesta was flowing above 18cm danger level on Wednesday evening. The situation started improving since yesterday, said Mohibul Islam, deputy divisional engineer of Rangpur WDB.

The district administration has started distributing relief material among the affected people.

In Gaibandha, around 20 hectares of Aman paddy were inundated by flash floods in Sundarganj upazila, according to the district administration.

The Teesta was flowing 34cm above the danger level yesterday morning. The situation improved in the afternoon, said Abu Rayhan, executive engineer of the Gaibandha WDB.