Floods engulf fresh areas

The flood situation in the northern and north-eastern regions of the country has worsened further as fresh areas in Kurigram, Sirajganj, Gaibandha and Sylhet have been inundated leaving nearly four lakh people marooned.Local sources said nearly 2.60 lakh people in three northern districts — Kurigram, Sirajganj and Gainbandha – have been marooned as flood water engulfed the low-lying areas of the districts, while 200 villages in 25 unions of the low-laying areas in Companiganj, Jointapur, Goainghat, Kanaighat, Jokiganj and in Sylhet Sadar hit hard by the flood. Water levels in 44 river stations monitored by Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) have marked rises and 31 stations recorded falls. Among the 83 monitored water level stations, water levels at 12 monitored river stations are flowing above their respective danger marks, a bulletin issued by FFWC said on Thursday. Our Bogra Correspondent reports: Erosion has taken a serious turn at Chandanbaisha Talukdarpara near Jamuna river of Sariakandi upazila under Bogra as concrete blocks and embankment have been washed away into the river on Tuesday night.Over 100 houses and crops and other goods have been washed away into the river. Panic stricken people of 15 villages under Kutubpur, Kamalpur and Velabari unions of Sariakandi upazila have beenpassing their days in uncertainty. During the last week, about 200 families have been rendered homeless, including a cluster village, in the three unions. In Sirajganj, new areas were inundated as water level of the Jamuna river at Sirajganj point is flowing above danger level. Over one lakh people in the district were marooned and many areas along the Jamuna river were eroded. In Kurigram, nearly 1.25 lakh people of over 400 villages in district were marooned in the flood water. The standing crops on the vast tracts of land also went under flood water. In Rangpur, flood situation deteriorated further as the major rivers are flowing above danger marks (DM) at seven points in Nilphamari, Kurigram,Gaibandha, Bogra and Sirajganj districts marooning over 1.5 lakh people. In Gaibandha, overall flood situation in chars and Brahmaputra river basin under four upazilas of the district worsened further as the water level of he river rose in the last 24 hours till this morning. With the rise of water level in the Brahmaputra River, the chars and river basin areas of Kapasia union under Sundarganj upazila, Kamarjani and Mollarchar unions under Sadar upazila, Fazlupur, Erendabari, Gozaria and Urya unions under Fulchhari upazila and Holdia and Saghata unions under Saghata upazila had been inundated leaving over 9,000 families marooned. In Bogra, local administration on Wednesday night and Thursday helped shift of the panic stricken 200 families to safety areas. Water Development sources said on the Wednesday night suddenly 200 meters of embankment collapsed. As the result, many houses and threes in the west side of the embankment washed away into the river Jamuna. WDB is trying to repair the breakaway portion by sand filled GEO bags and CC blocks. Due to on rush of water from the upstream, tidal surge and for want of proper maintenance of the dam, the blocks started to collapse into the river. The flood protection embankment in the three unions is under the threat of erosion and it may wash away at any time.Already water entered Kutubpur, Kamalpur and Velabari unions of Sariakandi upazila and also surrounding areas of Dhanit upazila from the broken part of the dam. Chandanbaisha Bazar, a number of Schools, Colleges, Mosques, Union Complexes and 500 houses have been inundated. Local MP Md. Abdul Manna, Chief Engineer of water development board (WDB) (planning) Salim Bhuiyan, Superintendent of Engineer Md. Sirajul Haque, Executive Engineer Md. Nurul Islam, Sariakandi upazila Chairman Md. Shahjahan Ali have visited the damaged area on Monday afternoon. Abdul Manna said a ring dam would be built soon to save the people of the embankment areas. Our Sylhet Correspondent adds: The flood situation in Sylhet has worsened as water level in Surma is flowing nine centimetres above the danger level in Sylhet area. The flow of water has caused many villages to be submerged, leaving more than a lakh people marooned in 25 unions of the upazila.Locals said at least 200 villages and char areas as the water level continues to rise in Surma, Sari, Borgang and Rangpani rivers for three days. Aman rice and vegetables on 25,000 hectares of land in the areas have been destroyed while people are living in miserable conditions. The flood has generated clean water and cattle feed crisis. The flood-affected people moved to shelters but are yet to get any aid from the government or private organizations. Many families are facing food problem, with day-labourers suffering the most.Alkas Ali of Jointapur upazila said his family had run out of food as they had consumed everything they had. We have nothing left to eat, he said. Meanwhile, The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources Ministry on Thursday recommended taking necessary steps to stop riverbank erosion in Sirajganj Hard Point and other vulnerable areas. The recommendation came at the fourth meeting of the committee, held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, with its chairman Ramesh Chandra Sen in the chair.The committee also asked for strengthening the monitoring by Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) to prevent riverbank erosion and flooding across the country.Noting that excessive siltation in major rivers in the country’s northwestern region is causing early flooding, riverbank erosion, and reducing river navigability, the committee recommended continuing the dredging programmes launched for the maintenance of the rivers.Local sources and union chairmen reported incidents of sporadic erosion at places in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Bogra and Sirajganj districts. Unless dry food, pure drinking water and medicines are supplied among the food affected people, water-borne diseases may spread in an epidemic form.