Aus paddy hit hard by floods
The flood caused by incessant rain and the onrush of water coming down from the hills over the last few days has inundated the standing Aus paddy crop on 7,070 hectares in three northeastern districts of Sylhet division.
Sources said a large portion of the cultivated Aus paddy has been damaged in the flood. The damage would be compensated by the Aman paddy, which would be planted after 60 days, they added.
The overall flood situation remains unchanged in Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Sunamganj districts yesterday.
Victims of the flood alleged that they were not getting adequate relief materials. But the district administration claimed that they were distributing
sufficient relief materials in all flood-affected areas.
With the swelling of the Teesta and the Brahmaputra, at least 200 villages of seven upazilas in Kurigram district have been inundated, affecting at least 50,000 people.
At least four lakh people in Sadar, Ramu, Chokoria, Pekua, Moheshkhali and Ukhia of Coxs Bazar are facing the flood threat due to an onrush of water coming down the hills and tidal waves.
One child was killed by a landslide on Wednesday in Ukhia. The bodies of two children were recovered yesterday in the area.
The Coxs Bazar district administration has started shifting people from areas
vulnerable to landslides. The administration has also demolished at least 200 houses in the last three days for the fear of landslides.
The deputy commissioner of Coxs Bazar, Mohammad Ali, said shelter facilities had been opened for the affected people and all necessary preparations taken to bring the situation under control.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Sylhet remains the most affected district where the standing Aus paddy crop on 4,330 hectares has gone under water.
Among the affected areas, at least 1,160 hectares of Aus paddy fields in Golapganj of Sylhet have gone under water, while 995 hectares and 550 hectares are now under water in Balaganj and Fenshuganj respectively. On the other hand, Aus crops on 2,600 hectares in Baralekha, Kulaura and Juri upazilas in Moulvibazar have been submerged. As many as 1,200 hectares, 365 hectares and 470 hectares are under water in Kualara, Baralekha and Juri respectively.
DAE deputy director (Moulvibazar) Md Shahjahan told The Independent that at least 80 per cent of the submerged paddy would be damaged. Even if the water recedes quickly and the flood situation improves, there would be much damage to the crops, he said.
The farmers have at least 68 days in hand for Aman cultivation here. Itd help them to recover their loss, he expressed hope.
DAE deputy director (Sunamganj) Zahedul Haque told The Independent that the standing Aus paddy crop on 140 hectares in Jagannathganj of Sunamganj had gone under water. At least 3040 per cent of the crops would be damaged, he apprehended.
Meanwhile, the flood situation in Sylhet has remained unchanged. Though the water level of the SurmaKushiara has decreased to some extent, but it is still flowing above the danger level.
At least three lakh people of eight upazilas have been affected. Many of them have gone to the shelter centres.
The overall flood situation in Moulvibazar has remained unchanged, but people there have become vulnerable to waterborne diseases.
Some of the flood victims alleged that they were getting wheat instead of rice. It has become a problem for them as they have to grind the wheat into flour, they added.
Besides, public representatives have also expressed dissatisfaction over the quality of wheat.
Over the last two weeks, at least three lakh people have been affected in five upazilas and two municipalities. People are making rooms at shelter houses. On the other hand, the low-lying areas in Kurigram have been inundated, affecting several hundred villages due to the swollen Brahmaputra, Teesta and Dharala rivers.
With the fall in the water level of the Teesta in Lalmonirhat, the water on the flooded char lands has begun to recede. However, erosion is taking place in different places in the area.
