Staff Reporter with Sylhet Correspondent :
The flood situation in Sylhet has significantly worsened, with water spreading across the district’s Sadar, Dakshin Surma, Biswanath, Fenchuganj, Golapganj, and Balaganj upazilas as of Wednesday.
Although the heavy rains have slightly subsided over the past 24 hours, continuous mountain runoff has exacerbated the flooding.
In the northern regions, floods may also impact Rangpur, Gaibandha, and Kurigram as several rivers, including the Teesta, are flowing above the danger level.
Water levels in rivers of these three districts and Nilphamari have risen due to incessant rain and upstream runoff.
As of this morning, around 700,000 people in Sylhet district are affected, with new areas becoming submerged.
The Sylhet district administration reports that 21 wards of the city and 1,323 villages are flooded, impacting the lives of nearly 676,000 residents. Approximately 50,000 people are currently trapped in the waterlogged city.
Sources from the Sylhet Water Development Board (PUBO) indicated that the water level at the Kanighat point of the Surma River was 91 centimeters above the danger line
as of 9 AM today. At the Sylhet point, the water level was 37 centimeters above the danger limit. Meanwhile, the Kushiara River was flowing 46 centimeters above the danger line at Amalshid Point, and at Fenchuganj and Sherpur points, the water levels were 92 and 12 centimeters above the danger line, respectively.
At the Sarighat point of the Sari-Goain River, the water was 0.9 centimeters above the danger line.
Initially, the floodwaters affected the five bordering upazilas of Sylhet: Companyganj, Kanaighat, Gowainghat, Jaintapur, and Zakiganj. Now, the floods have expanded to Sadar, Dakshin Surma, Biswanath, Fenchuganj, Golapganj, and Balaganj upazilas.
A power substation in the Barikandi area of South Surma is at risk due to landslides and floods caused by heavy rains. If the flooding continues, about 50,000 people in the area could be without electricity.
The army, with assistance from the Sylhet City Corporation and the Power Division, is working to protect the substation by placing sandbags along the riverbank.
This substation supplies electricity to adjacent areas, including Sylhet Railway Station, Barikandi, Kamalbazar, Masukganj, BCSIC, Lalabazar, Shibbari, and Kadamtali Central Bus Terminal.
Sylhet Power Development Board Sales and Distribution Department Executive Engineer Shyamal Chandra Sarkar stated, “The substation is at risk due to rising water. But we are fully prepared.
The army is also helping us in our efforts.” Continuous rainfall and mountain runoff have triggered the second wave of flooding in Sylhet within 20 days, submerging numerous roads and homes.
Earlier, on May 27, Sylhet experienced flooding due to mountain runoff, affecting about 750,000 people in all upazilas of the district.
Before the water from that flood had fully receded, Sylhet was hit by another wave of flooding on June 15. Heavy downpours, accompanied by mountain runoff, worsened the situation from the dawn of Eid day on June 17.
Shah Md Sajib Hossain, assistant meteorologist at the Sylhet weather office, reported that the district recorded 100 mm of rain from 6 AM on Tuesday to 6 AM on Wednesday.
In just three hours this morning, till 9 AM, 55 mm of rainfall was recorded. The meteorologist predicted heavy rain in Sylhet for the next few days.
Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Sheikh Russell Hasan stated, “As the flood situation worsens in Sylhet, the upazila administration is taking necessary steps to rescue people trapped in water.
Control rooms have been set up in the district commissioner’s office and the offices of the upazila executive officers to monitor the overall flood situation. Along with dedicated flood officers in each upazila, tag officers have been appointed in every union.”
“Union-based medical teams have been formed to provide healthcare to flood victims. Heavy rainfall is expected in the Sylhet region for the next three days. If this situation continues, the flood situation may deteriorate further,” he added.
The district administration is actively working to rescue stranded individuals and has set up control rooms at the district collector’s office and upazila executive offices to monitor the flood situation.
Dedicated officers have been appointed in each upazila, and medical teams have been formed at union levels to provide health services to flood victims. If the heavy rainfall persists, the flood situation in Sylhet is expected to deteriorate further.
Besides, army personnel have been deployed to protect the flood-affected Baraikandi power substation in South Surma of Sylhet city. They have been working to ensure an uninterrupted power supply from the power substation that has been affected by ongoing floods, an ISPR release said yesterday.