Thousands marooned in Kurigram as rivers swell

Staff Reporter  :
In the wake of heavy monsoon rains and swelling Dudhkumar and Dharla rivers crossing their respective danger marks, thousands of people living along the riverbanks have been stranded in rapidly rising floodwaters.

Roughly 10,000 families of five villages near the dam on the Dudhkumar River in Nageshwari Upazila have been affected by the flood.

On Friday, the water of the Dudhkumar River was flowing 50 centimeters above the danger mark at the Pateshwari point, and water of the Dharla River was flowing 9 centimeters above the danger mark at the Setu Point, as stated by the Water Development Board.

According to the Board’s control room, the main rivers in the district are still rising.

In the past 24 hours from Thursday 9 am to Friday 9 am, the water of the Dudhkumar River had risen by 42 centimeters at the Pateshwari Point, flowing 50 centimeters above the danger mark.

The water of the Dharla River had risen by 64 centimeters at the Setu Point, flowing 9 centimeters above the danger mark. During the same time, the water of the Brahmaputra River had risen by 36 centimeters at Nun Khawa Point, and by 29 centimeters at Chilmari Point, flowing below the danger mark. The Teesta River is also rising.

According to the Water Development Board, the water level is expected to continue rising unabated for the next six days, potentially reaching the danger mark in the Brahmaputra River at Chilmari Point.

This could lead to flooding in the areas along the riverbanks, including Ulipur and Chilmari Upazilas.

However, the rapid rise in water levels has already created a flood situation, leaving thousands of people stranded in the affected areas along the riverbanks.

Many people have abandoned their homes and sought refuge in boats. Some are leaving their houses to find safe shelter.

Due to the continuous rise in water levels, several unions in Sadar Upazila such as Panchgachhi, Jatrapur, Halokhana, and Bhogdanga; Begumganj and Saheber Alga unions in Ulipur Upazila; Andharirjhar Union in Bhurungamari Upazila; and Rayganj, Ballobher Khas, Narayanpur, Nun Khawa, and Bamnondanga unions in Nageshwari Upazila have been affected, and thousands of people in low-lying areas have been trapped by the floodwaters.

The expansion of the flooded areas is being observed due to the continuous rise in water levels. In this situation, the residents of the riverbank areas are concerned about the deteriorating situation.

Due to the rising water level of the Dudhkumar River, a flood control embankment in the Muria and Anser Hat areas of Bamnondanga Union in Nageshwari Upazila has succumbed to water pressure inundating several villages.

However, Water Development Board clarifies that it is not their embankment, but a rural road, Abdullah Al Mamun, the executive engineer of the Water Development Board in Kurigram, reported to the media.

Locals report that due to the breach in the embankment, water has started entering Senpara, Dhanitari, Namahaila, and Telipara, among several other villages. The embankment can collapse at any moment due to the water pressure.

Nur Mohammad, a resident of Saradub in Halokhana Union of Kurigram Sadar, told the media, “Water is everywhere. If the water continues to rise, it will be like the floods we experienced in 2017.”

Chandra Banu, from Fanderchar village in Rayganj Union of Nageshwari Upazila, says, “We have been living in water for the past three days. There is no sign of it receding. We have taken everything to higher ground. Otherwise, we will drown in the water.”

Locals said people, along with their cattle and ducks, are seeking temporary shelter at the nearby Eidgah ground.

According to the Disaster Management Department of the district administration, the extent of damage and the number of affected families at the upazila level have not been determined.
However, work is underway and the necessary measures for government assistance and distribution will be taken.

Ahmed Sadat, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (acting) of Nageshwari Upazila, told the media, “Several unions in the Upazila have been affected by the flood. Water has entered quite a few houses. We are prepared to deal with the situation. The list of affected individuals is being prepared.”

According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, there is a chance of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the northern and adjoining upstream regions of the country in the next 24 hours. As a result, during these period, the Teesta, the Dharal, the Dudhkumar rivers of this region may rise at times.

The flood situation in the low-lying areas of Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram dristricts may remain steady in the next 24 hours.