After unleashing its fury in the northern districts for the past 10 days, the Jamuna and the Padma, along with other rivers, have started eroding everything along the shores while receding, reports said yesterday (Tuesday). There are fears of erosion getting severe, and the flood victims wonder how to survive and save their homes and properties. The major rivers—the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and the Ganges-Padma—were expected to fall from high levels by July 25, Sazzad Hossain, a leading river watcher of the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) in Dhaka, told The Independent yesterday.

Erosion has become severe, snapping away everything from straw huts to concrete structures and croplands from central to northern and north-eastern regions across the country, The Independent correspondents reported from different parts of the country. In Shariatpur, the Padma destroyed homes, shops and croplands along its banks. People were in constant fear of losing their properties to erosion, despite the fall in flood waters.

At least 12 km of the Padma banks witnessed erosion. It included 120 metres of the Sureshwar protection bundh, forcing many residents to leave their homes in fear. The same situation was reported from Faridpur, where the swirling currents of the Padma were lengthening the list of erosion victims.

The administration said they have begun preparing a list of flood and erosion victims for relief. Lamonirhat, which saw the fury of flood waters of the Teesta and Dharala, is watching in horror the ferocity of erosion. The strong currents of the rivers are causing havoc in Sadar, Hatibandha and Aditmari upazilas.

In Tangail, a bridge at Dulla of Delduar upazila collapsed yesterday after flood waters damaged its structure. The Jamuna began receding, taking away over 50 establishments and homes, reports said.