Over 5,000 marooned, road links snapped

Houses in Ranigram of Sirajganj sadar upazila have almost entirely gone under water following heavy rainfall in the last few days.Photo: STAR

Onrush of water from upstream and heavy rainfall in the last few days have flooded many areas in six upazilas of Sirajganj, marooning over 5,000 people in the low lying areas and the chars in Jamuna, Karotoa, Ichhamoti, Hurasagar and Phuljhor rivers.
The worst affected upazilas are Sirajganj sadar, Kazipur, Belkuchi, Shahzadpur, Kamarkhanda and Chowhali where many roads have gone under water, disrupting road communications.
Many people of these areas have already shifted their homesteads to highlands and different embankments. Many of them are passing days in a miserable condition under the open sky.
Water Development Board officials said water in the Jamuna was flowing 11cm above the danger mark at the Sirajganj town point yesterday.
They said the water level is likely to increase over the next three or four days, which threatens a fierce flood situation.
People in Kazipur upazila were seen taking shelter on roadsides, embankments and at different educational institutions. They said they have not yet got any assistance from the government or non-government authorities.
Anjumanara Begum, 50, of Shubhogachha village in the upazila said she took shelter on the Jamuna river embankment yesterday morning after the sudden onslaught of strong current in the river washed away everything in her household.
Majibar Mian, 70, of Bearaghat area in sadar upazila, along with his family has also taken shelter on the embankment near the town. His young son has become jobless following the flood and this has caused suffering to the family, he said.
Majibar urged the authorities concerned to immediately arrange relief or other assistance for the flood-hit people.
Water Development Board officials said many points of the flood control embankments, six spurs and the Ranigram hard point in the town have become vulnerable and may give way to the strong current any time.
They said their workers are busy in emergency work at different vulnerable points to prevent erosion by the river.
Sirajganj Deputy Commissioner Ashraf Ali yesterday told The Daily Star that they have not yet received any relief for the flood-hit people in the district.
He, however, said they are ready to face any serious deterioration of the flood situation.