Flood death toll hits 37; 32 lakh people affected; 1.72 lakh hectares of farmland submerged in 21 dists

Trail of destruction in north

The Ganges and the Padma are likely to continue to rise in the next 72 hours

The overall flood situation is yet to be stable despite a slight improvement of the scenario in the northern districts of Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha. With floodwater moving towards the Bay of Bengal, fresh midland areas have begun to get flooded. Three more people were swept away by floodwater in Dinajpur yesterday, increasing the death toll in the district to 25. The total number of deaths in the recent spell of floods now stands at 37.  

Additional secretary of the relief and disaster management ministry, Golam Mostafa, yesterday said that about 32 lakh people in 21 districts had been affected by the floods and about 1.72 lakh hectares of cultivable land submerged. He also said that about 4.11 lakh people took shelter in  the 1,599 shelter centres opened by the government.

The government had taken all preparations to tackle the flood situation, the official added. The government has allocated 3,255 tonnes of rice and Tk 1.32 crore for the flood victims since August 9.

Water Development Board (WDB) sources said the Jamuna, Atrai and Ghagot rivers were showing a rising trend, while the Dharla and Brahmaputra rivers were falling. However, all the rivers are flowing at or above their danger levels everywhere.

According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC),  the Jamuna and the Ganges-Padma are rising, while the Brahmaputra and Surma are falling. The Kushiyara river has remained stable.

The onrush of water from India is flowing at the danger level at 29 places. It showing a rising trend at 60 places, a declining trend at 26 places, and remains static at four places of the rivers in the northern part of the country.

The Ganges and the Padma are likely to continue to rise in the next 72 hours. The Surma-Kushiyara may continue to fall in the next 24 hours, said sources in the FFWC.

The sources also said although the Teesta, Jamuna and Brahmaputra were falling, many areas in middle and southern regions of the country might be flooded anew.

Our correspondents from northern districts report that the flood-affected people were living miserably, with many of them yet to receive any relief.

They said floodwater in many areas became stagnant as it could not find any channel to move out. In Dinajpur, three more people drowned yesterday. The deceased are: Dulal Hossain, 35, of Parbotipur, and Mini Akhter, 4, and Ashik Hossian, 9, of Birol upazila.

All the rivers in the district, including the Punorbhaba and the Atrai, were flowing below the danger level. The only exception was the Ichamoti river.

Most of the affected villages of the 13 upazilas of the district are not getting sufficient relief. "I haven't received any relief. I'm going through a miserable time with family members," said Shantibala Roy, 70, of Bancharampur union of Birol upazila. People have lost their crops and properties after being struck by floodwaters due to the collapse of the town protection embankment.

Almost all the 5,000 families of Bancharampur union have been affected badly. But they have not received any relief materials till now.  

Local relief and disaster management officer Mokhlesur Rahman said he had received inadequate relief materials to be distributed among the flood victims.

In Bogra, new areas of Sariakandi, Dhunut and Sonatola upazilas

have been flooded following a sudden rise in the water level of the

Jamuna yesterday morning.

“The Jamuna river was flowing 126 cm above the danger level at Bogra point at 6:00am,” said an executive engineer of the Bogra WDB yesterday.

Fresh areas were inundated with the Jamuna river rising by 19 cm in the last 24 hours, he added.

Low-lying areas of Kutubpur, Kamalpur, Chandanbisha and Karnaribari of Sariakandi upazila, Madhupur, Tekani Chukainagar, Pakulla of Sonatala upazila, along with Bhandarbari and Gausibari unions of Dhunat upazila, have remained submerged since Tuesday.

Nearly 10,000 families, along with their cattle and livestock, have also taken shelter on the Sariakandi and Dhunut flood control dam.

Most of them have already run out of food. They are now huddled together with their animals in the shelter centres.

Sabina Begum, 52, a woman from Kajla union in Sariakandi upazila, with her family took shelter on the flood protection embankment of the Jamuna river. She said they had been starving since Monday night.

“We had three kg of rice, but that was finished on Monday noon. I haven’t received any help from any government or non-government organisations. I have no money to buy food for my son and grandsons and daughters,” she added.

The sufferings of the flood-affected people living in remote areas are perhaps the most alarming.

Visiting Kamalpur union by boat, our Bogra correspondent saw that around 500 families from different villages of the union, along with their cattle, had taken shelter on the Sariakandi shafar dirt road for four days. Sobahan Ali, 60, of Kajla union said they had been surviving merely on puffed rice. “No one has come to us with any relief. We’ve no food left,” he alleged.

“We’re going to starve soon ,” he said.

In Naogaon, 10 villages were inundated after the Atrai river protection embankment collapsed at Selimpur near Dhamurhat border.

The Atrai river is flowing 207cm above the danger level here.

In Gaibandha, eight more villages were inundated and the Kortoa flood protection embankment has been damaged. Besides, the Jamuna riveris flowing 134cm above the danger level at the Bahadurabad point of Jamalpur, affecting the train service from Jamalpur to the eastern part of the Bangabandhu Bridge.  

As many as 50 villages of six upazilas of the district have been hit by the floods.

In Lalmonirhat, the flood situation is improving as floodwater has started to recede.

However, locals expressed frustration over the lack of help provided by the authorities.

The Teesta has started to recede rapidly, but the Dharla is still flowing above the danger mark.

People living in Dharla river basin areas are having a hard time with inadequate relief from the government. Many of them are staying on the elevated land on the one side of the road with their families and flood shelter homes.

Hatibandha upazila was the most affected in the district, but the flood situation has improved in the last two days.  

Army personnel have beem deployed in Lalmonirhat Sadar, Adimari and Hatibandha upazilas to gear up relief and rehabilitation activities. They have already started medical camps in different areas.

Train communication from Lalmonirhat to Dhaka and other districts has resumed.

However, broken rail tracks at the Hatibandha point suspended railway services between Lalmonirhat and Burimari. Presently, trains are only running from Lalmonirhat to Votmari.

 

Flood death toll hits 37; 32 lakh people affected; 1.72 lakh hectares of farmland submerged in 21 dists

Trail of destruction in north

The Ganges and the Padma are likely to continue to rise in the next 72 hours

The overall flood situation is yet to be stable despite a slight improvement of the scenario in the northern districts of Dinajpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha. With floodwater moving towards the Bay of Bengal, fresh midland areas have begun to get flooded. Three more people were swept away by floodwater in Dinajpur yesterday, increasing the death toll in the district to 25. The total number of deaths in the recent spell of floods now stands at 37. Additional secretary of the relief and disaster management ministry, Golam Mostafa, yesterday said that about 32 lakh people in 21 districts had been affected by the floods and about 1.72 lakh hectares of cultivable land submerged. He also said that about 4.11 lakh people took shelter in the 1,599 shelter centres opened by the government. The government had taken all preparations to tackle the flood situation, the official added. The government has allocated 3,255 tonnes of rice and Tk 1.32 crore for the flood victims since August 9. Water Development Board (WDB) sources said the Jamuna, Atrai and Ghagot rivers were showing a rising trend, while the Dharla and Brahmaputra rivers were falling. However, all the rivers are flowing at or above their danger levels everywhere. According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the Jamuna and the Ganges-Padma are rising, while the Brahmaputra and Surma are falling. The Kushiyara river has remained stable. The onrush of water from India is flowing at the danger level at 29 places. It showing a rising trend at 60 places, a declining trend at 26 places, and remains static at four places of the rivers in the northern part of the country. The Ganges and the Padma are likely to continue to rise in the next 72 hours. The Surma-Kushiyara may continue to fall in the next 24 hours, said sources in the FFWC. The sources also said although the Teesta, Jamuna and Brahmaputra were falling, many areas in middle and southern regions of the country might be flooded anew. Our correspondents from northern districts report that the flood-affected people were living miserably, with many of them yet to receive any relief. They said floodwater in many areas became stagnant as it could not find any channel to move out. In Dinajpur, three more people drowned yesterday. The deceased are: Dulal Hossain, 35, of Parbotipur, and Mini Akhter, 4, and Ashik Hossian, 9, of Birol upazila. All the rivers in the district, including the Punorbhaba and the Atrai, were flowing below the danger level. The only exception was the Ichamoti river. Most of the affected villages of the 13 upazilas of the district are not getting sufficient relief. I havent received any relief. Im going through a miserable time with family members, said Shantibala Roy, 70, of Bancharampur union of Birol upazila. People have lost their crops and properties after being struck by floodwaters due to the collapse of the town protection embankment. Almost all the 5,000 families of Bancharampur union have been affected badly. But they have not received any relief materials till now. Local relief and disaster management officer Mokhlesur Rahman said he had received inadequate relief materials to be distributed among the flood victims. In Bogra, new areas of Sariakandi, Dhunut and Sonatola upazilas have been flooded following a sudden rise in the water level of the Jamuna yesterday morning. The Jamuna river was flowing 126 cm above the danger level at Bogra point at 6:00am, said an executive engineer of the Bogra WDB yesterday. Fresh areas were inundated with the Jamuna river rising by 19 cm in the last 24 hours, he added. Low-lying areas of Kutubpur, Kamalpur, Chandanbisha and Karnaribari of Sariakandi upazila, Madhupur, Tekani Chukainagar, Pakulla of Sonatala upazila, along with Bhandarbari and Gausibari unions of Dhunat upazila, have remained submerged since Tuesday. Nearly 10,000 families, along with their cattle and livestock, have also taken shelter on the Sariakandi and Dhunut flood control dam. Most of them have already run out of food. They are now huddled together with their animals in the shelter centres. Sabina Begum, 52, a woman from Kajla union in Sariakandi upazila, with her family took shelter on the flood protection embankment of the Jamuna river. She said they had been starving since Monday night. We had three kg of rice, but that was finished on Monday noon. I havent received any help from any government or non-government organisations. I have no money to buy food for my son and grandsons and daughters, she added. The sufferings of the flood-affected people living in remote areas are perhaps the most alarming. Visiting Kamalpur union by boat, our Bogra correspondent saw that around 500 families from different villages of the union, along with their cattle, had taken shelter on the Sariakandi shafar dirt road for four days. Sobahan Ali, 60, of Kajla union said they had been surviving merely on puffed rice. No one has come to us with any relief. Weve no food left, he alleged. Were going to starve soon , he said. In Naogaon, 10 villages were inundated after the Atrai river protection embankment collapsed at Selimpur near Dhamurhat border. The Atrai river is flowing 207cm above the danger level here. In Gaibandha, eight more villages were inundated and the Kortoa flood protection embankment has been damaged. Besides, the Jamuna riveris flowing 134cm above the danger level at the Bahadurabad point of Jamalpur, affecting the train service from Jamalpur to the eastern part of the Bangabandhu Bridge. As many as 50 villages of six upazilas of the district have been hit by the floods. In Lalmonirhat, the flood situation is improving as floodwater has started to recede. However, locals expressed frustration over the lack of help provided by the authorities. The Teesta has started to recede rapidly, but the Dharla is still flowing above the danger mark. People living in Dharla river basin areas are having a hard time with inadequate relief from the government. Many of them are staying on the elevated land on the one side of the road with their families and flood shelter homes. Hatibandha upazila was the most affected in the district, but the flood situation has improved in the last two days. Army personnel have beem deployed in Lalmonirhat Sadar, Adimari and Hatibandha upazilas to gear up relief and rehabilitation activities. They have already started medical camps in different areas. Train communication from Lalmonirhat to Dhaka and other districts has resumed. However, broken rail tracks at the Hatibandha point suspended railway services between Lalmonirhat and Burimari. Presently, trains are only running from Lalmonirhat to Votmari.