Dists around capital inundated

The floods took a serious turn Wednesday inundating new areas in the country’s middle zone and the districts surrounding the capital as the Ganges, the Jamuna and the other major rivers swelled further, Water Development Board officials told New Age.
Swelling Jamuna waters further aggravated the flooding in the already worst affects districts of Kurigram, Gaibanha, Sirajganj, Jamalpur and Bogra in the north and Rajbari, Shariatput, Manikganj and Munshiganj, in the central zone increasing the number of marooned people.
Scarcity of drinking water, food and medicines increased the plight of the marooned, whose number crossed two million.
With nine more deaths caused by flood related issues, the toll rose in last four days to 57, mostly in the northern districts, according to the control room of the Department of Disaster Management.
Health Services director general Abul Kalam Azad, however told a news conference on Wednesday that 107 people died due to flood related issues since July 1. 
The army deployed 26 more platoons, raising the number to 29, to tackle floods in newly affected districts of Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilhamari and Panchgahr.
The army also sent more speed boats and rescue tools to attend to the needs of the marooned, according to information the Inter Service Public Relations Directorate posted on its website on Wednesday.
Earlier, the army deployed troops in the flood affected areas of Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Rangpur, and Syedpur.
The Ganges flow at Goalanda, in Rajbari district crossed the danger mark by 77cm, while at Bhagyakul in Munshiganj by 15cm, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre.
FFWC officials said the low lying areas in the capital and the surrounding areas were getting submerged as the Ganges at Sureshwar and Shariatpur and the Balu at Demra were flowing close to their danger levels.
FFWC engineer Sarder Udoy Raihan told New Age that the overflowing Padma inundated the country’s middle zone the districts around the capital.
The Padma overflowed mainly due to onrush of waters from the Jamuna River, which also continued to overflow over the last couples of days, he said.
New Age Correspondent in Munshiganj reported that the swelling Padma inundated low lying villages and crop fields keeping thousands marooned in the district.
The Padma also began to devour villages on its bank in the Tongibari, Lohaganj upazilas.
The Meghna, Dhaleswari and the Ichamoti River also swelled further due to the Padma’s rising water level.
New Age Correspondent in Manikgank reported that traffic movement on the Aricha-Saturia Highway had been disrupted by floods caused by the overflowing Padma River.
In Manikganj, at least 30,000 villagers living in chars became marooned and their plight increased getting no relief supplies. 
Though the Teesta began to recede since Tuesday, the flood affected people on its banks saw no end to their sufferings any time soon. 
New Age Correspondent in Jamalpur reported that the floods further aggravated inundating new areas in the district as the Jamuna continued to swell flowing 133cm above its danger level at Bahadurabad Ghat.
At least 7.41 lakh people remained marooned in seven upazilas in the district.
President Abdul Hamid on Wednesday ordered to reach relief supplies to the flood-affected people, when prime minister Sheikh Hasina called on him at Bangabhaban to inform him about the country’s overall situation particularly about the flooding, according to a Bangabhaban press release signed by President’s deputy press secretary Abul Kalam Azad.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net