Hundreds of families shelterless
Erosion by the Teesta took a serious turn in three unions of Sundarganj upazila rendering over 1500 families shelterless in the last two weeks.
The river has devoured at least two educational institutes, a large number of structures and homesteads and cropland on vast areas while it is now threatening the flood control dyke and a market at Lalchamar.
The worst hit villages are Lalchamar, Vati Burail, Ujan Burail and Purbo Lalchamar in Kapasia union, Charitabari and Kelnapara in Haripur union, Sheecha and Ujan Bochagari in Chandipur union. In those areas at least 400 families in Kapasia, 200 families in Haripur and 500 families in Chandipur unions have lost their all belongings due to the devastating erosion.
A large number of erosion victims took shelter on the nearby flood control dyke and living mostly without any help.
This is for third time that the river eroded my homesteads, devouring all my belongings, said Abdul Hamid of Ujan Bochagari, who is now staying on the dyke.
The erosion has engulfed Paglerhat Government Primary School and Ujan Burail Primary School buildings in the last few days and now threatening Lalchamar bazaar and the flood control dyke, locals said.
Gripped by fear, the people of erosion prone areas were seen shifting their movable properties to safer places in Sheecha village last week.
The situation is so grave that if the devastation continues at same pace, over 2000 families will be affected within the next one week, said Golam Mostafa Ahmed, chairman of Chandipur union.
Our correspondent from Narail adds: Erosion by Modhumoti river in Lohagara upazila in the district rendered around a thousand families homeless in the last several weeks.
With the recession of water level in the Modhumoti, erosion devoured huge cultivable lands, trees and structures in five unions of the upazila.
The affected families in Morlickpur, Etna, Kotakol, Lohagara and Shalnagor unions have shifted their houses in face of severe erosion.
While visiting the erosion hit areas of Lohagara union recently, this correspondent saw people of Moshepara and Sagolcira villages hurriedly shifting their houses to safer places.
Zohora Fatema Bibi, 65, of Sagolcira village said, "I have lost all my belongings. As the erosion is going on unabated, I am now worried that the river would devour the rest of our village soon," she said expressing fear.
The most affected areas in the district are Sagolcira, Tetulia, Kamthana of Lohagara union, Moshepara, Mongol Hata, Korfa, Atospara of Morlickpur union, Degrirchar, Lonkerchar and Pankharchar of Etna union, Gaga, Telkara and Botdia of Kotakol Union, Kashipur,Chaksi, Katlasur, Azompur, Shearebor, Rakantopur of Shalnagaor union.
Bodor Khondokar, chairman, Lohagara union said that the erosion-hit people are passing their days amid anxiety and uncertainty.
Locals said about a thousand families have been displaced in the last several weeks and hundreds more will be affected in the next few weeks.
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