Flood situation

15 dists affected, 5 more vulnerable

The flood situation in the country’s northern districts has worsened, with the rivers overflowing due to incessant rainfall and a rush of water downstream.

The northern districts like Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Sirajganj, Borga, and Jamalpur have been badly affected, and people’s woes are mounting due to tardy relief supplies and a deepening crisis of drinking water.

New areas are being inundated each day in different northern districts, disrupting road communication and leaving boats as the sole means of transport in the flooded areas.

Academic activities in many educational institutions have come to a halt, as water has entered school, college and madrasa buildings.

Disaster management and relief minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said at a press briefing at the secretariat yesterday that at least 6.5 lakh people of 54 upazilas in 13 districts had been affected by the floods. The districts are Sirajgang, Bogra, Rangpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Jamalpur, Tangail, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and

Cox’s Bazar.

He also said that floods threaten five new districts—Manikganj, Munshiganj, Chandpur, Shariatpur, and Bhola.

Maya said the government has allotted Tk. 1.9 crore and distributed 4,000 metric tonnes of rice and 18,500 packets containing nine dry food items as relief measures. The government has enough relief material in stock to provide succour to the affected people, he said.

Meanwhile, the water levels of all rivers, including the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, and Dudhkumar, continue to rise due to an onrush of water downstream and heavy downpour, while the Teesta and the Dharla were receding in some places.

Lalmonirhat: The overall flood situation in five upazilas of the district improved slightly, as the water levels of the Teesta, Dharla and other rivers were falling.

Water from the affected villages and low-lying areas began receding since last night.

The Teesta was flowing 13 cm below the danger mark at the Dowani point, where it was 52.27 cm on Wednesday morning. But the water level of the Dharla was 25 cm above the danger mark. The local administration has prepared a list of the affected people in the flood-hit upazila. The district administration allocated 52 tonnes of rice, 1,000 packets of dry food, and Tk. 6 lakh for the 17,258 flood-hit families on Wednesday.

Of these, 20 tonnes of rice and Tk. 2 lakh were meant for Hatibandha, 20 tonnes of rice and Tk. 1 lakh for Lalmonirhat, and 15 tonnes of rice and Tk. 1 lakh for Aditmari Upazila.

Liyakot Ali, the upazila chairman of Hatibandha, said that though the water had started receding from the affected villages, the flood victims were facing an acute crisis of safe drinking water and food.

Hatibandha was the worst-affected upazila, in which around 10,000 families had been affected in six unions, he added. Novej Uddin, the district primary education officer (DPEO) of Lalmonirhat, said academic activities in 19 schools under three upazilas had been suspended because of the floods.

Abul Fayej Md Allauddin Khan, the deputy commissioner (DC) of Lalmonirhat, visited the affected areas and distributed dry food and rice among the victims.

He said the situation was improving, with the water receding in many areas. Teesta irrigation project sources said the situation was showing signs of improvement.

Jamalpur: The flood situation in the district deteriorated further, with the Jamuna continuing to rise. Around 2 lakh people are said to have been affected by the floods. According to Water Development Board (WDB) sources, the Jamuna rose by 16 cm over the last 24 hours and was flowing 80 cm over the red mark at the Bahadurabad Ghat point at noon yesterday.

With a rise in the water level, fresh areas in Islampur, Dewanganj, Melandaha, Sarishabari, Madarganj, Bakshiganj, and Jamalpur Sadar upazila in the district have been inundated. The District Relief and Rehabilitation Office said the floodwaters have affected close to 2 lakh people in Islampur, Dewanganj, Madarganj, and Sarishabari upazilas.

The floodwaters have also entered the district’s other three upazilas but the number of affected people was yet to be ascertained.

The office said 20 tonnes of rice and Tk. 20,000 had been allotted for Islampur upazila, and 20 tonnes of rice and Tk. 20,000 for Dewanganj upazila.

Education department sources said 161 primary schools, 39 high schools, 18 madrasas, and two colleges have been submerged and classes have been temporarily suspended in those institutions.

The district training officer, Department of Agriculture Extension, Md Abu Hanif said the floods have submerged crops on 2,867 hectares of land across the seven upazilas of the district. He said the T-Aman seedbed on 244 hectares, vegetables on 739 hectares, Aus paddy on 427 hectares, jute on 1447 hectares, and other crops on 10 hectares have been affected.

Nilphamari: Incessant rainfall for several consecutive days has led to the flooding of around 40 villages in the Tepakharibari, Purbo Chhatnai, Khalisha Chapani, and Jhunaghachh Chapani unions in Dimla upazila, and around five villages in the Golmunda union under the Jaldhaka upazila in the district.

The people of these inundated villages are said to be facing an acute shortage of food and drinking water.

Some flood-affected people complained that sufficient relief has not reached the affected areas. But deputy commissioner Md Khaled Rahim told this correspondent that 40 tonnes of rice and Tk. 50,000 have been allotted for the flood victims.

The executive engineer of the Dalia WDB, Md Mostafizar Rahman, told The Independent: “We are trying out level best to protect the flood-affected embankments.”

Kurigram: Over 38,000 flood-hit families (around 153,000 people) of 41 unions in seven upazilas of the district have been marooned by the floodwaters, the district disaster relief and rehabilitation office (DRRO) sources said. For the flood victims, 300 tonnes of rice, Tk. 825,000, and 2,000 packets of dry food have already been dispatched to the upazila administrations,” the DRRO sources said.

But Abul Hossen, chairman of the Hatiya union in Ulipur upazila, said, “I have received only 4 tonnes of rice for about 300 families marooned by the Brahmaputra.” The water levels of the Brahmaputra and the Dharla have risen by eight centimetres each over the last 24 hours.

The Brahmaputra was flowing 34 cm above the danger mark at the Chilmari Ghat point at Chilmari upazila, and the Dharla 25 cm above the safe level at the Bridge point in Sadar upazila at noon yesterday, Kurigram WDB sources said.

Other rivers, such as the Teesta and the Dudhkumar, were receding. The Teesta was flowing 94 cm below the danger level at Kaunia Ghat, and the Dudhkumar 43 cm below the danger mark at the Noonkhawa Ghat point.

Tangail: An onrush of water from the upstream of the Jamuna and the Dhaleswari, and continuous rainfall over the last last few days have worsened the flood situation in Tangail.

About 58 km of flood-control embankments in Bhuapur upazila and 50 km in Louhati in Nagorpur upazila have become vulnerable. Fresh areas of Bhuapur, Kalihati, Tangail Sadar, and Nagorpur upazila have been inundated by floodwaters. The erosion caused by the Jamuna and Dhaleswari has turned serious.

Around 2,000 people of Charbetua, Fokirpara, Charbamonhata, and Char Kutubpur have been marooned.

Parts of Gobindashi, Gabshara, and Aurjuna have been eroded by Jamuna, the upazila chairman of Bhuapur Abdul Halim said.

Sadona Academic High School, Agdigulia Bazaar, Kalimondir and the cremation ground of Nagorpur upazila have been eroded by the Dhaleswari, said Md Shahadot Hossain, the UNO of Nagorpur upazila.

Shahjahan Siraj, the executive engineer of the Tangail WDB, said they had sought funds to prevent erosion by the Jamuna and Dhaleswari rivers.

 

Flood situation

15 dists affected, 5 more vulnerable

The flood situation in the countrys northern districts has worsened, with the rivers overflowing due to incessant rainfall and a rush of water downstream. The northern districts like Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Sirajganj, Borga, and Jamalpur have been badly affected, and peoples woes are mounting due to tardy relief supplies and a deepening crisis of drinking water. New areas are being inundated each day in different northern districts, disrupting road communication and leaving boats as the sole means of transport in the flooded areas. Academic activities in many educational institutions have come to a halt, as water has entered school, college and madrasa buildings. Disaster management and relief minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said at a press briefing at the secretariat yesterday that at least 6.5 lakh people of 54 upazilas in 13 districts had been affected by the floods. The districts are Sirajgang, Bogra, Rangpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Jamalpur, Tangail, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Coxs Bazar. He also said that floods threaten five new districtsManikganj, Munshiganj, Chandpur, Shariatpur, and Bhola. Maya said the government has allotted Tk. 1.9 crore and distributed 4,000 metric tonnes of rice and 18,500 packets containing nine dry food items as relief measures. The government has enough relief material in stock to provide succour to the affected people, he said. Meanwhile, the water levels of all rivers, including the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, and Dudhkumar, continue to rise due to an onrush of water downstream and heavy downpour, while the Teesta and the Dharla were receding in some places. Lalmonirhat: The overall flood situation in five upazilas of the district improved slightly, as the water levels of the Teesta, Dharla and other rivers were falling. Water from the affected villages and low-lying areas began receding since last night. The Teesta was flowing 13 cm below the danger mark at the Dowani point, where it was 52.27 cm on Wednesday morning. But the water level of the Dharla was 25 cm above the danger mark. The local administration has prepared a list of the affected people in the flood-hit upazila. The district administration allocated 52 tonnes of rice, 1,000 packets of dry food, and Tk. 6 lakh for the 17,258 flood-hit families on Wednesday. Of these, 20 tonnes of rice and Tk. 2 lakh were meant for Hatibandha, 20 tonnes of rice and Tk. 1 lakh for Lalmonirhat, and 15 tonnes of rice and Tk. 1 lakh for Aditmari Upazila. Liyakot Ali, the upazila chairman of Hatibandha, said that though the water had started receding from the affected villages, the flood victims were facing an acute crisis of safe drinking water and food. Hatibandha was the worst-affected upazila, in which around 10,000 families had been affected in six unions, he added. Novej Uddin, the district primary education officer (DPEO) of Lalmonirhat, said academic activities in 19 schools under three upazilas had been suspended because of the floods. Abul Fayej Md Allauddin Khan, the deputy commissioner (DC) of Lalmonirhat, visited the affected areas and distributed dry food and rice among the victims. He said the situation was improving, with the water receding in many areas. Teesta irrigation project sources said the situation was showing signs of improvement. Jamalpur: The flood situation in the district deteriorated further, with the Jamuna continuing to rise. Around 2 lakh people are said to have been affected by the floods. According to Water Development Board (WDB) sources, the Jamuna rose by 16 cm over the last 24 hours and was flowing 80 cm over the red mark at the Bahadurabad Ghat point at noon yesterday. With a rise in the water level, fresh areas in Islampur, Dewanganj, Melandaha, Sarishabari, Madarganj, Bakshiganj, and Jamalpur Sadar upazila in the district have been inundated. The District Relief and Rehabilitation Office said the floodwaters have affected close to 2 lakh people in Islampur, Dewanganj, Madarganj, and Sarishabari upazilas. The floodwaters have also entered the districts other three upazilas but the number of affected people was yet to be ascertained. The office said 20 tonnes of rice and Tk. 20,000 had been allotted for Islampur upazila, and 20 tonnes of rice and Tk. 20,000 for Dewanganj upazila. Education department sources said 161 primary schools, 39 high schools, 18 madrasas, and two colleges have been submerged and classes have been temporarily suspended in those institutions. The district training officer, Department of Agriculture Extension, Md Abu Hanif said the floods have submerged crops on 2,867 hectares of land across the seven upazilas of the district. He said the T-Aman seedbed on 244 hectares, vegetables on 739 hectares, Aus paddy on 427 hectares, jute on 1447 hectares, and other crops on 10 hectares have been affected. Nilphamari: Incessant rainfall for several consecutive days has led to the flooding of around 40 villages in the Tepakharibari, Purbo Chhatnai, Khalisha Chapani, and Jhunaghachh Chapani unions in Dimla upazila, and around five villages in the Golmunda union under the Jaldhaka upazila in the district. The people of these inundated villages are said to be facing an acute shortage of food and drinking water. Some flood-affected people complained that sufficient relief has not reached the affected areas. But deputy commissioner Md Khaled Rahim told this correspondent that 40 tonnes of rice and Tk. 50,000 have been allotted for the flood victims. The executive engineer of the Dalia WDB, Md Mostafizar Rahman, told The Independent: We are trying out level best to protect the flood-affected embankments. Kurigram: Over 38,000 flood-hit families (around 153,000 people) of 41 unions in seven upazilas of the district have been marooned by the floodwaters, the district disaster relief and rehabilitation office (DRRO) sources said. For the flood victims, 300 tonnes of rice, Tk. 825,000, and 2,000 packets of dry food have already been dispatched to the upazila administrations, the DRRO sources said. But Abul Hossen, chairman of the Hatiya union in Ulipur upazila, said, I have received only 4 tonnes of rice for about 300 families marooned by the Brahmaputra. The water levels of the Brahmaputra and the Dharla have risen by eight centimetres each over the last 24 hours. The Brahmaputra was flowing 34 cm above the danger mark at the Chilmari Ghat point at Chilmari upazila, and the Dharla 25 cm above the safe level at the Bridge point in Sadar upazila at noon yesterday, Kurigram WDB sources said. Other rivers, such as the Teesta and the Dudhkumar, were receding. The Teesta was flowing 94 cm below the danger level at Kaunia Ghat, and the Dudhkumar 43 cm below the danger mark at the Noonkhawa Ghat point. Tangail: An onrush of water from the upstream of the Jamuna and the Dhaleswari, and continuous rainfall over the last last few days have worsened the flood situation in Tangail. About 58 km of flood-control embankments in Bhuapur upazila and 50 km in Louhati in Nagorpur upazila have become vulnerable. Fresh areas of Bhuapur, Kalihati, Tangail Sadar, and Nagorpur upazila have been inundated by floodwaters. The erosion caused by the Jamuna and Dhaleswari has turned serious. Around 2,000 people of Charbetua, Fokirpara, Charbamonhata, and Char Kutubpur have been marooned. Parts of Gobindashi, Gabshara, and Aurjuna have been eroded by Jamuna, the upazila chairman of Bhuapur Abdul Halim said. Sadona Academic High School, Agdigulia Bazaar, Kalimondir and the cremation ground of Nagorpur upazila have been eroded by the Dhaleswari, said Md Shahadot Hossain, the UNO of Nagorpur upazila. Shahjahan Siraj, the executive engineer of the Tangail WDB, said they had sought funds to prevent erosion by the Jamuna and Dhaleswari rivers.