Floodwater creeps towards Dhaka

At least 250 people moved to government shelters and over 20,000 remained stranded at Dohar and Nawabganj as rivers around the capital kept swelling with flood situation deteriorating further in Bangladesh.

Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre warned that the Balu River at Demra might overflow its danger mark by Friday further worsening the flooding as 20 rivers flowed above their danger marks at 30 places across Bangladesh.

Dohar upazila nirbahi officer AFM Firoz Mahmud said that seven of his nine unions were under water with 5,000 families caught up in a situation that it became difficult for them to live at their house.

Road communications with three of the affected unions — Bilashpur, Narisha and Mahmudpur — have been severely disrupted because of the flood, he said.

Parts of Dhaka–Dohar road went under water because of the steady rise of Padma at Bhagyakul.

Nawabganj upazila nirbahi officer Salauddin Manzu said that three of his unions — Joy Krishnapur, Churina and Galimpur — were partly affected by flood as dozens of houses saw water level rising around their houses over past two days.

‘We have been warned by the forecasters that the situation would persist through Eid-ul-Azha,’ said Salauddin.

Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre warned that parts of eastern such as Badda and Satarkul might go under water by Friday.

It said that flood would get worse in Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Tangail, Bogura, Natore, Kurigram, Gaibandha and Naogaon by Friday morning.

The situation in 12 other affected districts would remain unchanged, it said, adding that the Balu River might cross the danger mark at Demra by Friday.

 

 

The Brahmaputra River might continue to rise until Sunday as the FFWC recorded extremely heavy rains across north and parts of south-eastern Bangladesh.

The country’s highest rainfall of 250mm in the 24 hours until 9:00am Thursday was recorded at Gaibandha as 20 rivers flowed above their danger levels at 30 places.

The health emergency control room reported seven deaths due to flood related causes in the 24 hours until 8:00am, taking the overall death tally to 93 since June 30.

New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat reported that over 1,420 people were driven out of their homes as flood deteriorated in many areas in eight flood-hit districts in Rangpur division between Wednesday and Thursday, taking the total number of people living on embankment to nearly 45,000.

Over 100,000 others have taken shelters at educational institutions and other establishments and found it difficult to get meal once a day.

Rivers devoured 8,322 houses in eight northern districts alone with hundreds other houses partially damaged in the waves of flooding.

Local hospitals reported seeing increased admission of patients with water borne diseases in flood-affected areas because of clean water crisis.

New Age correspondent in Munshiganj reported that heavy current in the Padma River continued to hamper the road communication between Dhaka and 23 south-western districts by slowing the ferry service in the river.

New Age correspondent in Shariatpur reported severe food shortage among more than 50,000 families affected by floods in 50 unions in the district.

The FFWC already warned that the flood might continue through the second week of August as it already affected more than three million in 21 districts.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department predicted light to moderate rains in most of the places in Mymesingh, Sylhet, Barishal and Chattogram divisions until Friday morning.

Rains have also been predicted for Dhaka, Khulna, Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions as well.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net