People continue to suffer in flood-affected areas [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

People continue to suffer in flood-affected areas

Local August 23, 2015

People in the flood affected areas of the country, especially in northern districts, continue to suffer for want of jobs, food and safe drinking water.
Reports received from the districts said people of severely affected areas had taken shelter in shelter houses as their homesteads had gone under water, and farm labourers and poor farmers went without work as their croplands had gone under water.
Flooding caused by incessant rain and onrush of hill water had washed away a huge number of ponds and fisheries projects, leaving the owners and workers facing huge losses.
The Bangladesh Water Development Board’s flood forecasting and warning centre forecasted Saturday morning that that the flood situation in some areas of the country, in Kurigram, Rangpur, Jamalpur, Bogra, Gaibandha, Sirajganj, Pabna, Faridpur, Shariatpur, Rajbari and Munshiganj districts might deteriorate in the next 72 hours.
It also forecasted that the flood situation in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Moulvibazar and Netrokona districts is likely to improve, while the Satkhira district might remain steady during the time.
The FFWC data on Saturday morning show that the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and Meghna river systems were on a rising trend, which is likely to continue over the next 72 hours.
The data shows that river water levels had increased at 54 stations, out of 85 monitoring stations, while water had been flowing above danger levels at 10 stations.
Water had been flowing above danger levels at Kurigram station of Dharla river, Sariakandi of Jamuna, Sirajganj of Jamuna, Baghabari of Artrai, Jhikargacha of Kobadak, Kanaighat, Sylhet and Sunamganj of Surma, Sheola of Kushiyara and Jariajanjail station of Kangsha river.
The met office Dhaka recorded 206 millimeters of rain in Rangpur – the highest rainfall in the country in 24 hours ending Saturday 6pm.
At Rangpur, incessant rain and flash flood left thousands of people of Rangpur and adjacent districts marooned, as water above danger levels at various points.
The people of char areas and low lands of the affected areas were the worst sufferers.
Kokand Union Parishad chairman Mominul Islam said the affected people, especially the poor, had been facing acute crisis of food and safe water.
In Rangpur city, many areas, including Shalbon, Guratipara, Keranaipara, Palpara, Multol , Kamarpara, Mahadebpur , Amasu Kukrul, and Jalkor went under water for incessant rain.
Besides, increase in water level and currents in Brahmaputra hit people living in Fulchhori upazilla of Gaibanda district hard as erosion took a serious turn and threatened the flood protection embankment at Ratanpur of the upazilla.
Around fifty houses were relocated from the place.
At Kurigram, heavy downpour and onrush of upstream water left the local rivers swelling, deteriorating the flood situation. Over 50 thousand people, mostly char people, are now marooned.
The marooned people have been facing scarcity of safe drinking water and fodder for their cattle.
At Feni, the flood situation was improving as water receded on Saturday in the absence of any further rain.