3 tourist spots flooded amid river water rising

S A Shofiee, Sylhet :

The upstream flow has increased the threat of flooding in Sylhet. Rain continues in Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, across India. It has also rained throughout the day in Sylhet.
The Meteorological Department recorded 198.6 millimeters of rainfall from 6 am to 6 pm yesterday. River water has also started rising. The tourist centers of Sadapathar, Jaflong and Bichnakandi have been flooded. In the current situation, the local administration has discouraged travel to these places. A part of the Gowainghat-Radhanagar road has been submerged. Waterlogging has also occurred in various areas of the city.
According to the Meteorological Department, 1 millimeter of rain fell from 6 am to 9 am yesterday, 7 millimeters from 9 am to 12 noon and 156 millimeters from 12 noon to 3 pm. The rainfall till 6 pm stood at 198.6 millimeters. Earlier, Sylhet received 132 millimeters of rain in 24 hours from 6 am on Friday to 6 am yesterday.
According to the Water Development Board (WDB), the water level of the Surma River is only 9 centimeters below the danger level at Kanishail Point and the water level of the Kushiyara River has reached very close to the danger level at Fenchuganj Point.
WDB Sylhet Executive Engineer Deepak Ranjan Das told “Yesterday, 410 millimeters of rain fell in Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, India. This is a warning. Whenever it rains in India, the mountain stream reaches Sylhet through the rivers and streams on the border. As a result, the water level of the rivers and streams is increasing. The water level of the Sari-Goain and Dhalai rivers is touching the danger level. The water level of all the rivers and streams, including the two main rivers of Sylhet, Surma and Kushiyara, is increasing. If the rain continues, there is a risk of flooding in Sylhet.
Meanwhile, the low-lying areas of the bordering upazilas of Gowainghat, Companiganj, Jaintapur, Zakiganj and Kanaighat upazilas have been flooded. The tourist centers of Gowainghat upazila, Jaflong and Bichnakandi, and the tourist center of Companiganj upazila, Sapadhar, have been submerged in water. Tourists have been discouraged from visiting these places.
Gowainghat Upazila Executive Officer Ratan Kumar Adhikari said that a portion of the lower part of the Gowainghat-Radhanagar road in the upazila has been flooded. Due to continuous hilly slopes and rain, the water is rising in some areas. Traveling to the tourist center during the floods is risky.
Companiganj Upazila Executive Officer Azizunnahar said, “35 shelter centers have been prepared in the upazila. However, no one has needed to take shelter in these centers yet. It is raining upstream, and it is normal for the floods to come down through Sapadhar.” We all have to be careful.’
Goainghat Upazila Project Implementation Officer Badhan Kanti Sarkar said, ‘Even if the water level in the rivers increases, there is no danger of a flood situation for the time being. The low-lying areas of the upazila may be flooded and cause flooding in the short term. The upazila administration has initially taken all preparations for the flood situation.’
Jaflong Tourist Center Tourist Police OC Shahadat Hossain said that it is raining heavily in Jaflong and the water level in the rivers is rising. The Tourist Police has taken all kinds of measures for the safety of tourists. Tourists are being instructed to stay safe and avoid risks.
In addition, the city’s Airport Road, Rikabibazar, Amberkhana, Osmani Medical College Hospital Road, Bagbari, North Bagbari area, Mirabazar, Mahajanpatti on the banks of Surma, Kalighat, Kastaghar, areas adjacent to Upshahar-Subhani Ghat, Airport, Chowkidekhi, Shahparan, areas adjacent to Kadamtali, Kazirbazar, Taltala, Jamtala and Machimpur areas were submerged due to continuous rain. The city’s heartland, Zindabazar Chowhatta area, was also submerged due to heavy rain. There was knee-deep water at these two points. Although the water has receded from Zindabazar and Chowhatta points after the rains subsided somewhat, the city residents are still suffering from waterlogging in other areas. Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) has set up a control room to take quick and effective steps to deal with the situation. This control room has been opened on the second floor of the City Corporation for necessary supervision and emergency communication to resolve waterlogging. Executive Engineer Ali Akbar is in charge of communication in case of emergency.
Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad said, “We are on alert. We are keeping an eye on the tourist centers.”
He also said that he had visited Gowainghat Upazila. Urging not to panic, he said, “Instructions have been given to the local administration to prepare to deal with the flood situation.”