Fresh flood in many areas as rain-fed rivers swell

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The flood-affected people, who were preparing to return home following the devastating floods, are now trapped again as many areas were freshly inundated by rain-fed rivers.

All the three major rivers–the Padma, Meghna and Jamuna–saw sharp rise in their water levels, while the Jamuna at Aricha was flowing at the danger level yesterday evening and could go over the mark any time, said Ariful Islam, assistant engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).

Vigorously active monsoon over the eastern part of Bihar, West Bengal and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and the Ganges and Brahmaputra and Meghna basins, both in India and Bangladesh, have caused the fresh rise of water levels in rivers.

Many low-lying areas of Sirajganj district were inundated afresh through the Brahmaputra Flood Control Right Embankment at Khalishabari, which was breached earlier by the raging floodwaters, reports our correspondent from Sirajganj.

Sirajganj Deputy Commissioner Ibrahim Khalil at a press conference yesterday urged people not to panic about another flood and urged them to prepare for the fight against the disaster.

The Jamuna at Sirajganj is likely to cross its danger level in the next 24 hours, FFWC said. It, however, added that the rate of rise of water level is expected to be slower in the next two days.

Floodwater, which inundated low-lying areas of Sirajganj, is also slowly inundating fresh areas in Pabna and some parts of Bogra, reports our staff correspondent in Bogra.

Our correspondent from Gaibandha reports: Flash flood again submerged low-lying areas of four upazilas of the district as the Teesta swelled at all points.

Meanwhile, the Padma in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj is eroding riverbanks threatening to deluge many areas of the two districts, our staff correspondent in Rajshahi reports.

The water level of the Padma at Gualundo and Bhagyakul started rising again and is likely to continue to rise in the next three days. “The Ganges basin is very much vulnerable to floods. Thus Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Natore, Pabna and Kushtia are vulnerable to flooding,” FFWC said.

The flood situation in Manikganj, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Rajbari, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Gopalganj, Chandpur and Dohar and Nawabganj upazilas of Dhaka is likely to stop improving and deteriorate slightly later on.

With the likely rise of water level of the Meghna at Bhairab Bazar, the flood situation in Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria and Kishoreganj may stop improving, it reported.

Meanwhile, diarrhoea situation across the country remains grim with 3,647 people newly infected with the water-borne disease raising the total to 54,964 since July 30, said Directorate General of Health Services control room.

There were at least 20 flood-related deaths across the country yesterday which includes deaths by drowning, snakebites and diarrhoeal raising the death toll to 536(since July 30).

International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B) faced tremendous pressure yesterday with the admission of 630 diarrhoea patients in 24 hours ending last evening. A total of seven people died from diarrhoea since July 30.

A total of 1,419 people were infected with respiratory tract infections (RTI), 1,414 with skin diseases and 390 with conjunctivitis across the country yesterday.

Our correspondent in Sirajganj reports: Thousands of people in the district are still homeless, lack food and are suffering from different diseases which prompted the government to set up a mobile hospital at Meghai Bazar of worst affected Kazipur upazila Thursday.

District Civil Surgeon Office sources said about 350 patients infected with water-borne diseases took treatment at the hospital yesterday.

Our correspondent in Gaibandha reports: At least 151 people were infected with diarrhoea yesterday raising the total number of patients to 4,139 in the district.

The country, if flooded for the second time, will have devastating consequences on the economy, as the recent flood has already caused huge damage to standing crops, bridges, culverts, roads, embankments and houses, experts say.

According to statistics provided by the Press Information Department, the floods so far damaged at least 9,38,815 houses, crops on 15,11,699 acres, around 25,826km of roads and 7,515 educational institutions affecting 1.5 crore people across the country. It also damaged 801km of embankments, 2,764 bridges and culverts.

The government so far distributed 14,365 metric tonnes of GR (Gracious Relief) rice, Tk 4.19 crore as GR cash, Tk 41.5 lakh for relief operations, while Tk 11.7 crore was allocated for the flood-affected districts from the Chief Adviser’s Fund.

MARITIME PORTS ALERTED
Stormy weather caused by the “deep convective clouds” over the North Bay may affect the maritime ports, BSS reports quoting the Met office.

Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Mongla have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal number three.

All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay also have been advised to come close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.

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