Bangladesh News

The flood situation in the northern region worsened yesterday with rising waters of the Teesta, the Brahmaputra and the Dharla rivers marooning several thousand people.

In Sylhet, over 60,000 day labourers went out of jobs due to incessant rain coupled with floodwaters sweeping through the region from upstream Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya, reports our staff correspondent in Sylhet.

Early Saturday, 20 villages of Devgram union in Goalanda upazila of Rajbari were inundated following the collapse of a 60-meter section of the Antarmor levee, reports UNB. The Goalanda-Rajbari town protection embankment is also under threat as the floodwaters continue to rise.

A Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) report meanwhile said more low laying areas in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Tangail, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur, Dohar, Nawabganj and Chapainawabganj are likely to be flooded within the next two to three days.

The situation in Sylhet and Sunamganj is likely to deteriorate further as the region is experiencing heavy rainfall and further rainfall over the region is expected.

“The overall flood situation in the country is alarming and very likely to deteriorate by the next two to three days,” said the FFWC adding that water levels at all the three major river systems of the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and the upper Meghna have been rising.

The monsoon is likely to remain active over Bangladesh and adjoining Assam, Meghalaya, Aurunachal Pradesh, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India for the next two to three days, it said.

Our correspondent from Rangpur reports, nearly 1,25,000 people in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Rangpur have been marooned as the Teesta, the Brahmahputra, and the Dharla rose over the last couple days.

Mohsin Ali, deputy director of Department of Agriculture Extension, Kurigram, said vegetables and crops including Aman on about 10,000 hectares of land in the area have been flooded.

A correspondent from Lalmonirhat reports, Aman on several thousand hectares of land went under water while the affected people are suffering from acute scarcity of food, drinking water and sanitation facilities.

Educational institutes in Rajpur and Sindurna unions were also declared closed due to the floods.

The Lalmoni-Burimari land port high way and the embankment at Paruliya Bazar under Hatibandha upazila is under threat of erosion by the rising waters of the River Teesta.

Our correspondent from Nilphamari reports, portion of the Teesta Barrage was damaged on Friday night and floodwaters flowing through it inundated about 300 houses in the area.

Our correspondent in Gaibandha reports, the rising Brahmaputra submerged crops and vegetables in Goderhat, Boali, Badiakhali, Rasulpur, Bhaserpara, Balashi, Ketkirhat, Kalasona, Ratanpur, Mashamari and Nilkuthi areas.

Water Development Board (WDB) and the Army are working on to fix a breach in the Katlamari-Uria flood control embankment.

Our staff correspondent in Sylhet reports, the road link between Gowainghat upazila and the Sylhet district headquarters was suspended as the Sari-Gowainghat road went under water on several points yesterday.

Over 20,000 hectares of Aman and Aus crops in Companiganj, Golapganj, Jaintapur, Kanaighat, Gowainghat, Fenchuganj and Beanibazar upazilas have been inundated.

Our correspondent in Netrakona quoting local WDB sources reports, more low-lying areas including five kilometres of Gutora-Barkhapon road and four kilometres of Udoypur-Rika Bazar road went under water.

Half a kilometre of the approach road to the Kalmakanda bridge and about 50 houses at Keshabpur village are also flooded by the River Ubdakhali.