Bangladesh News

The overall flood situation in the country has deteriorated suddenly and experts say the situation could worsen in the next couple of days.

Fresh areas in northern and central parts of the country were inundated yesterday marooning thousands of people. Many were compelled to take refuge in safer places leaving their homestead.

Water levels of all major rivers are expected to continue to rise in the next three days by six inches a day. This would inundate many areas of 20 northern and central districts, said Water Development Board (WDB) officials during a press conference asking people “not to be worried”.

“The next 48 hours is very crucial. If the situation does not improve within this time, the flooding may linger like in 1988 and 1998,” said engineer Saiful Islam, director of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).

The FFWC is going to monitor the situation round the clock and formed 10 special mobile teams.

“We have already sent the special mobile teams comprising experts in the flood affected areas in the northern districts. They will help field-level officers protect the embankments,” said Hossain Shahid Mozaddaf Faruque, director general of WDB.

If the situation upstream starts to improve, we would be able to handle the situation downstream, the officials said. They said they are alarmed as the water levels of three major river systems–Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and upper Meghna–have started rising simultaneously.

Looking at the current circumstances, the experts are finding similarities with the situations that prevailed in 1988 and 1998. Like now, the water levels of the three major rivers had started rising simultaneously during the end of August, WDB experts said.

They are also worried about the active monsoon over northeast Bangladesh and adjoining Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh in India.

They reminded people that everything depended on the developments of the next 48 hours. The situation will start to improve after three days if the monsoon becomes weak upstream.

The press conference was held at the conference room of WDB where additional director generals Abul Kalam Md Azad, Liakat Al Faruque, Muhammad Shuaib, Mainuddin Khan, Habibur Rahman Zinnah were present.

Most of the rivers including the Jamuna, the Brahmaputra, the Arial Khan, the Ghagot and the Padma are following above their danger levels and are devouring homesteads, roads and croplands. The flood situation in Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Bogra, Sirajganj, Faridpur and Madaripur has worsened further, our correspondents report.

An elderly woman drowned in floodwater in Gaibandha when she was walking a submerged road at Ketkirhat yesterday.

Around 30 metres of flood embankment of the Brahmaputra eroded and marooned around 20,000 people. There is a crisis of food and drinking water at the shelters where flood-affected people have taken refuge.

Nearly 70,000 people have been marooned in Gaibandha Sadar, Sunderganj, Fulchari and Shaghata upazilas.

Many moved to flood shelters set up by local NGOs. Gana Unnayan Kendra and Samaj Kalyan Sangstha made arrangements for boats to rescue marooned people in remote char areas.

Hundreds of people in Hasilkandi, Gobindi, Chalkpara, Kumarpara, Nakier Char, Munshirhat, Chinir potol, Haldia, Bera, Nalsia, Uttar Ulla are being moved to safer places as the mighty Jamuna is swelling and devouring land.

Our Sirajganj correspondent reports: The flood situation in different low-laying areas and chars of seven upazilas in Sirajganj worsened rendering over 6,000 people homeless.

The water levels of the Jamuna and its tributaries like Korotoa, Hurasagor, Ichhamoti and Phulzorh have been increasing during the last 24 hours.

During a visit to affected chars in Kazipur upazila yesterday The Daily Star correspondent saw many people marooned. Some were seen living on bamboo-made structures while some were on top of their tin-built houses.

A correspondent from Lalmonirhat reports: Heavy rain during the three days and onrush of water from upstream inundated low-lying and chars areas in all five upazilas of the district.

Stagnant water has marooned many in Lalmonirhat town.

Our Faridpur correspondent reports: Around 3,000 families of Aliabad union have been marooned and around 1,500 families took shelter on Faridpur town protection embankment.

A correspondent from Madaripur reports: Around 50,000 people are marooned in the district. The Faridpur-Shariatpur highway has been partially washed away by the Arial Khan. At least 50 homes were devoured by rivers in the district during the last 24 hours.