Flood-hit people in north look for safe shelters

Heavy rainfall at the upper catchments and onrush of water flooded different chars and low-lying areas in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari, leaving thousands of people marooned.
During visits to different chars on Wednesday, the flood-affected people were found deserting their homesteads in search of safe shelter on high lands or embankments and also going to their relatives in the nearby areas.
According to Kurigram office of Water Development Board, water-level of the River Brahmaputra was flowing 19 cm above the danger mark on Wednesday morning while water level of Dharla at Kurigram Bridge point, Dudhkumar at Nunkhaoa point and Teesta at Kaunia point were flowing near the danger marks.
Abdul Karim, a dweller of Porar Char of the River Brahmaputra under Kurigram Sadar upazila, was found preparing to leave his house with utensils and some domestic animals on Wednesday noon.
He told New Age that he had sent other family members to different relatives’ houses at Bhurungamari considering their safety four days ago when the flood water inundated his house.
Like Karim, Shahajahan Mia along with four members of his family was found leaving his Porar Char home with belongings and four cows in the afternoon.
Many houses at Porar char, char Ghaneshyampur, Majhialir char, Goaler char, Doikhawar char under Kuragram Sadar upazila were found abandoned as the residents of the houses already left home for safe shelters.
The onrush of water from upstream submerged many low-lying areas of Hatiya union under Ulipur upazila disrupting road communication with the areas. The flood victims were found using boat and rafts as their only transports to move.
Mustafizur Rahman Bhutto, a villager of Hatiya union, said that the onrush of water from upstream washed away at least 150 houses of Hatiya and the dwellers of the houses had taken shelters in different areas.
Deputy commissioner of Kurigram Md Nurul Islam told New Age that they were observing the overall situation of the flood. ‘We have available stock of relief materials including foodstuff. If needed we will start distributing the relief materials,’ he added.
Nurul said that lack of sincerity and capability of the Water Development Board erosion took a toll on different points of Brahmaputra, Dharla and Teesta rivers.
A visit to different chars of Teesta under Dimla upazila of Nilphamari and Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirh, many villagers were found taking safe shelters as their villagers on the chars were submerged by water from upstream.
At Teesta embankment near Teesta River Barrage under Dimla upazila, several hundred people from different chars including Charkharibari, Purbagharibari, Uttargharibari and Tabur Char took shelters on Wednesday like Tuesday.
Abed Ali, a middle-aged man, who along with his eight-member family, taken shelter on the embankment, said, ‘We are yet to receive any relief materials from the government,’ he said.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net