Rain-fed rivers erode away more villages

People give a bleak look as Someshwary River continues to devour Ranikhong village in Durgapur upazila of Netrakona district. Photo: STAR

Erosion has taken a serious turn in Dugrapur upazila as Someshwary and other rivers swelled in the last few days due to torrential rain.
Onrush of hill water from across the border added to the situation.
At least 300 dwelling houses and over 500 acres of cropland at Dakumara, Kamarkhali and Ranikong villages under Durgapur upazila have been devoured by the river in the last one week rendering more than 1000 people homeless.
The erosion victims have taken shelter in the nearby flood shelters and on the highlands in neighboring villages.
During a visit to the areas this correspondent found that people of over 200 houses have shifted to safer places. A vast tract of land of Shibgonj and Birishiri villages on the bank of river Someshwary in Durgapur upazila eroded away.
Locals dumped sands, bamboo and timbers to protect the areas from the erosion but all their attempts went in vain due to strong current in the river.
About one kilometer of three-kilometer-long Shibganj-Ranikong Road, the lone link between Durgapur upazila Sadar and different bordering villages has been devoured by Someshowary much to the suffering of the locals.
Contacted, executive engineer of Water Development Board (WDB) Netrakona Mohammad Harun-Ur-Rashid told this correspondent that the construction work of one kilometer out of 6-kilometer Someshwary river erosion protection embankment has already started.
The rest of the work would be completed in phases, he added.