Flood situation deteriorates inundating more areas

The onrush of water from upstream of transboundary rivers along with rainfall inside the country deteriorated the flood situation on Saturday causing suffering to people devouring houses and cultivable lands and hindering road communications in the northern districts of Kurigram, Jamalpur and Bogra.
Thousands of people were already marooned in Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogra, Sirajganj, Tangail, Netrokona and Sunamganj districts by the flood, officials said.
On Saturday, a number of major rivers were flowing above danger level and the rising trend might continue till Monday, said Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre.
Warning centre assistant engineer Ripon Kumar said that the onrush of water from upstream Assam and Meghalaya in India was major reason for flood in northern districts.
He said that heavy rainfall in Assam and Meghalaya was going on for that past 10 days and the water was ultimately ending up in Brahmaputra and Jamuna and other major rivers of Bangladesh.
The Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Ganges-Padma river systems were in rising trend and water in the rivers would continue to rise till Monday, he said.
Atrai at Baghabari and Padma at Goalanda may cross their respective danger levels by today, Ripon said.
New Age correspondent in Manikganj reported that heavy current in Padma was hindering ferry service in Paturia-Daulatdia route causing a huge tailback of vehicles in the both sides.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation Aricha unit manager Mohiuddin Rasel said that the ferries were taking almost double time to cross the river due to heavy current.
New Age correspondent in Munshiganj reported that ferry services were suspended in Shimulia-Kawrakandi route due to heavy current in Padma.
New Age correspondent in Rangpur reported that flood situation in the district worsened as the water level of all the 16 rivers in Rangpur, including Dharla, Teesta, Brahmaputra, Dudkumer, Phulkumer, Zinzeram, Gangadhar and Sonavory, were rising and inundating more areas.
Kurigram Water Development Board officials said that more than 200 chars and islands went under water and low lying areas of the river basins were flooded.
More than 70,000 people in 40 unions of Ulipur, Chilmari, Roumari, Rajibpur, Nageswari, Phulbari, Bhurungamari and Kurigram Sadar were marooned.
The flood victims took shelter on road side, high lands and house of others.
Kurigram deputy commissioner Khan Md Nurul Amin said that the administration started preparing lists of flood victims.
New Age correspondent in Sirajganj reported that about 500 villages in char areas in five upazilas of the district were flooded, leaving at least one lakh people marooned.
Water in the Jamuna was flowing above the danger line, accentuating erosion by the river at several points, said Water Development Board executive engineer Sayed Hasan Imam.
Nine unions of Kazipur upazila, five of sadar upazila, three of Belkuchi upazila, seven of Chowhali upazila and three unions of Shahjadpur upazila were inundated by flood water, said water board sources.
Sources at the Department of Agriculture Extension reported that several hundred acres of land had gone under water.
Besides, about 50 houses at Enayetpur of Chowhali upazila have been devoured by the Jamuna due to the river erosion triggered by the overflow of water, said upazila nirbahi officer Rezaul Bari.
Deputy commissioner of the district Billal Hossain said the local administration already distributed 15 tonnes of rice and Tk 2.05 lakh in relief among the flood-affected people of Kazipur and Shahjadpur upazilas.
Surma at Sunamganj was flowing 65cm above the danger level, Kangshaw at Jariajanjail point was flowing 65am above the danger level, Dharla at Kurigram was flowing 40cm above the danger level, Brahmaputra at Chilmari was 52cm above the danger level, Dhaleshwari at Elasin point was 50cm above the danger level, Jamuna at Bahadurabad was 21cm above the danger level, Padma at Sureshwar point was 20cm above the danger level, Jamuna at Sariakandi was 16cm above the danger level, flood forecasting officials said.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net