Thousands marooned as flood hits Lalmonirhat, Netrakona

Two women wade through knee-deep water to bring drinking water at Kurul village in Lalmonirhat as overflowing of Teesta and Dharla rivers following heavy downpour in hills across the border inundated large areas in the district.Photo: STAR

Fresh areas of over 30 villages under five upazilas in Lalmonirhat district were flooded yesterday, leaving at least 35,000 people marooned.
Away in Netrakona, flash flood triggered by heavy rain in hills across the border hit thousands of people in five unions of Durgapur upazila in the last two days.
In Lalmonirhat, the water levels of the rivers Teesta and Dharla were increasing since Sunday noon due to onrush of water from upstream, reports our correspondent.
The Teesta water was flowing only one centimeter below its danger level at Daliya point of Hatibandha upazila while the Dharla two CM below of its danger level at Kulaghat point in Sadar upazila at noon.
Heavy rain in the last three days and water from hills across the border swelled the rivers triggering flash flood, Water Development Board (WDB) sources said.
The flood affected areas include Goddimari, Dowani, Sindurna, Dawabari, Daliya, Paruliya under Hatibandha upazila, Votmari, Char Kakina, Rudreshewar and Jamirbari villages of Kaligonj upazila, Kadomtola, Balapara, Balurbandh, Gobordhan and Durgapur villages of Aditmari upazila, Kurul, Mogholhat, Kulaghat, Bowalmari, Etapota, Teesta, Rajpur, Kalmati, Khuniya Gachh, Gokunda and Milon Bazar villages of Sadar upazila and Dahagram, Bongerbari, Sarkarerhat and Jagodber villages of Patgram upazila.
While visiting Kurul village of Sadar upazila, this correspondent found a number of villagers taking shelter on the embankment and roads.
Victim Jamil Uddin, 48, of the village, said “The water of Dharla entered his home on Saturday evening”
Lalmonirhat WDB executive engineer Enayet Ullah said if no rain hit the areas within the next few days, the floodwater might come down.
Our Netrakona correspondent adds: More than 300 homesteads, aman seedlings on vast areas and a large number of vegetable gardens of five unions in Durgapur upazila went under water in the last two days.
Floodwater also washed away fishes from around 500 ponds.
The affected unions are Birishiri, Gaokandia, Kakoirgora, Bakoljura and Chandigor.
WDB sources said the surging water of Mogra, Kongsha and Dhanu rivers caused by heavy rain inundated the areas during the period.