Flood situation worsens in northern region River erosion devours 100 estbs in Sirajganj, Tangail

Staff Reporter :
Amid a gradual improvement in situation in the country’s eastern Sylhet region with receding river waters, the state of floods has worsened in the northern districts as rivers in the zone are rising rapidly. Meanwhile, about 100 establishments have already been devoured in Sirajganj and Tangail districts as erosion by the rivers has taken an alarming turn.
Officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (WDB) apprehended that the Teesta river water may cross the danger mark at Dalia Point in Nilphamari in the next 24 hours. Erosion by the Jamuna river in Sirajganj and the Jhenai in Tangail’s Mirzapur has turned severe over the last few days.
Waters in the Surma river at Sunamganj, the Someswari at Kalmakanda and the Oldsurma at Derai are still flowing above the danger level, while the Teesta water flow is experiencing ups and downs of the danger level.

Given the flood forecasting agencies report, the people of Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts are likely to experience a short-term flood, while the flood situation in Netrakona, Sunamganj and Sylhet will continue to improve.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), fairly widespread to widespread, light to moderate rainfall with isolated Heavy to Very Heavy falls very likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during next 5 days.

Apart from it, there are chances to decrease the rain falls over Meghalaya and Assam during the next three days, IMD bulletin said.
Incessant rains and downpours from the upstream have increased the water of all the rivers in Sunamganj. Roads and houses in the lower areas were flooded almost all the upazilas.
However, water level has been decreasing slightly due to less rainfall in Sunamganj and India since Monday. But still the water of Surma river is flowing above the danger level in Chhatak, Sunamganj and Diraiupazilas. Most of the low-lying areas of the district are still inundated.

At least 10 villages in Dowarabazar upazila of Sunamganj district have been inundated due to onrush hill water from Meghalaya and swelling of rivers caused by torrential rains for the last five days.
The villages are Camper Ghat, Andairgaon, Bogula, Chanderghat, Sonachara, Noagaon, Ramnagar, Terakuri and Kandagaon.
The traffic movement on Doarabazar-Tengratila-Mohabbatpur road has become risky as the road went under knee-deep water in Sharifpur Sidingghat area due to the overflow of the Surma River.
Besides, road connectivity between upazila headquarter and Narsingpur, Banglabazar, Bogulabazar, Laxmipur and Surma unions has been cut off due to the inundation of roads. Hundreds of hectares of Aman seedbeds have been submerged.

More than 100 fish farmers are worried as ponds have already been submerged due to the rising water level. At the time of filing this report, the flood situation remains unchanged as rain continues.
Executive Engineer of Sunamganj WDB Md Mamun Hawlader said that the flood situation in all the upazilas of the district could soon become severe if the heavy rains in Cherrapunji of India do not stop.
Dowarabazar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Arif Morshed Mishu said the flood situation is normal now. “However, our monitoring system is active in all areas to deal with disaster. Besides, we are in constant touch with the district administration and local public representatives.”
According to Partho Protim Barua, Assistant Engineer of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) under WDB, waters of the rivers Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Ganges and Padma will continue to rise rapidly in next 48 hours. Besides, waters of the Teesta, Dharala and Dudhkumar in the northern region may rise rapidly in the next 24 hours, he added.
All the major rivers in the North-Eastern region of the country are in a falling trend, which may continue in the next 48 hours, he said adding that the ongoing flood situation in the Sunamganj and Netrakona district may improve continuously.
Meanwhile, erosion by the River Jamuna in Sirajganj’s Belkuchi upazila has turned severe over the last few days which has resulted in the destruction of over 50 establishments including Khidrchapari Government Primary School in the area.
Local residents are attributing the calamity to negligence and the illegal extraction of sand near the project area for the construction of a permanent dam.
A Tk 95 crore project was taken to construct a dam from Mehernagar in Belkuchi upazila to Enayatpur spur dam in Chauhali upazila for protecting the area from river erosion.
The establishments went into the gorge of the river as using geo-bags remained suspended over the past few days due to rising water levels in the River Jamuna, they alleged.
Farid Ahmed Nayan, acting headmaster of Khidrchapari Government Primary School, said, ‘Established in 1940, it currently has 142 students. The academic building and shelter centre were constructed in 2008.’
He said, ‘This year, prior to the monsoon, the school building was at risk of collapsing. Despite multiple appeals to various departments to take preventive measures, no action was taken. We have no place left to accommodate our students.’
Sujan Sarkar, president of Baradhul Union Swechhasebok League, said the adverse consequences are due to the illegal extraction of sand from the River Jamuna and the project contractor’s negligence.
On the other hand, shops, houses and roads were washed away by the Jhenai river in just a few minutes, Gobinda Pal, a sweet trader of Fatehpur Bazar in Mirzapur Upazila of Tangail district said.
Not only the shop of Gobind Pal, but one third of Fatehpur market along with 20 other shops were washed away by the Jhenai river’s severe erosion. Besides, at least 18 houses of Palpara, adjacent to the market, have disappeared because of the erosion.
At least 1000 feet Fatehpur-Kurani paved road, the only road connecting Fatehpur with upazila sadar, has gone under the river. More than two hundred business establishments including Fatehpur High School and Fatehpur Government Primary School, Fatehpur UP office, two-storey Government Royal Market Bazar and Fatehpur sub health center are under threat due to erosion. Shopkeepers and homeless families are living inhumane lives under the open sky.
Omar Sharif of Bankata village said that the erosion started on the banks of the river Jhenai due to the extraction of sand by the dredger of UP chairman.