Thousands marooned as five districts still under water

Rising water levels in the northern rivers have flooded vast tract of low-lying areas in five northern districts, causing thousands to suffer.

The affected districts are Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Sirajganj, Bogura and Gaibandha.

The onrush of water from the upstream since Friday night mainly contributed to the sudden flood, according to Water Development Board officials and locals.

However, water has already started to recede in some of the affected regions, said WDB sources.

Meanwhile, the rivers Teesta, Jamuna and Someswari were flowing above danger level yesterday morning, said a bulletin of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre.

The Brahmaputra and Jamuna rivers are in rising trend, which may continue in the next 24 hours. The water level is also rising steadily in Ganges-Padma rivers and the trend may continue for the next 72 hours. The flood situation in the lowlands of Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts of the Teesta basin may remain steady for the next 24 hours, said the bulletin released at 9:00am yesterday.

In Lalmonirhat, around 9,000 families of low-lying areas have remained marooned since Friday, according to locals and peoples' representatives.

However, flood situation is improving in the district as water has started to recede, said Shunil Kumar, executive engineer of WDB in Lalmonirhat.

"We are facing immense sufferings with our cattle as the grazing fields have gone under water," said Sirajul Islam, 55, a farmer from Khuniagach area under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

Meanwhile, a 100-metre section of a 300-metre earthen flood control dam collapsed yesterday morning due to heavy flow of Teesta at Gobordhan village of Lalmonirhat's Aditmari upazila.

"Our entire village have been inundated as water entered the area after the embankment collapsed," said Matiar Rahman, 66, a farmer of the village.

"The situation will worsen further, if the entire dam is engulfed by the Teesta. Then, erosion will take a severe turn in our village," said Matiar Rahman, 65, a resident of the same village.

Dry foods have been distributed among 6,000 flood-hit families in Lalmonirhat during the last four days, according Relief and Rehabilitation Office sources.

In Kurigram, low-lying areas of Rajarhat, Chilmari and Ulipur upazilas have been inundated, resulting in some 6,000 families marooned.

The Teesta was flowing 23cm above the danger level at Kaunia point, which is located at bordering area of Kurigram and Rangpur, yesterday morning, according to WDB.

Water level of Teesta River is fluctuating due to the onrush water from the upstream, said Abdullah Al Mamun, executive engineer of WDB.

"The water slightly receded on Monday night. But it rose again this [Tuesday] morning. Almost all the roads in our area have gone under water," said Sabed Ali, a 65-year-old farmer of Khitabkhan village in Kurigram's Rajarhat upazila.

Dry foods have been distributed among four thousand flood-hit families in Kurigramin last four days, according to Relief and Rehabilitation Office sources.

In Sirajganj, around one lakh people of 50 shoals and low-lying villages are marooned by flood water, said locals and peoples' representatives.

"Now, boats have become the only mode of communication in our area as roads are under water. We are now jobless as all the croplands are inundated," said Afsar Bhuiyan, a resident of Bonnir Char area in Sirajganj Sadar upazila.

Contacted, Ranjit Kumar, sub-divisional engineer of WDB in Sirajganj, said the flood situation will start improving within next 2-3 days.

In Bogura, several hundred of people of Batirchar and its adjacent areas under Sariakandi upaizla have remained waterlogged.

"Almost all the crops in our village have been inundated by flood water. If such situation continues, flood water will enter into our home tonight [Tuesday]," said Mamunur Rashid, a resident of Batirhcar.

In Gaibandha, some low-lying areas have been submerged as the Brahmaputra is swelling. Its' water may cross danger level by tonight [Tuesday], said WDB officials.

[Our correspondents from Lalmonirhat, Pabna and Bogura contributed to this report]