Flood situation slightly improved yesterday, but strong current of the Padma river began to eat away many houses at Lohajong and Tongibari upazilas in Munshiganj.

At least 25 houses were washed away in the swirling current of the Padma in the upazilas and several hundred families have moved to safer places sensing danger, reports our local correspondent.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre of Water Development Board (WDB) has meanwhile said of the 90 stations, water level was reported falling at 46 and rising at 37. The water level of four stations was not reported and three recorded a steady condition.

Click on the markers on the map and zoom in to see details on the flood situation in 12 districts of Bangladesh.

Of the 37, water level at 13 stations in Jamalpur, Bogra, Sirajganj, Tangail, Rajbari, Netrakona, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar and Sylhet were flowing over the danger level.

In Tongibari, 10 houses at Borail, Chousar, Bagbari, and Jusishar were washed away. The Padma has swelled and flooded adjacent villages in last five days.

People of Gaodia union in Lohajong were the worst sufferers as several parts of Ranadia, Haridia, Boro Mokam, Shamur Bari and Gaodia were eroded.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Monir Hossain said the local administration would take necessary steps.

In the meantime, movement of vehicles through the ferry service on Shimulia-Kathalbari route has been seriously hampered due to the intense current. Goods laden trucks were reported to have been waiting for five to six days to cross the river.

In Manikganj, the water level in the Padma and the Jamuna decreased by 1 centimetre, but all the internal rivers including Kaliganga, Dhaleshwari, Gazikhali and Ichhamoti were swelling.

WDB Executive Engineer Hasan Mahmud said the low-lying areas were being inundated as a result.

The situation in Jamalpur saw improvement as the water level declined by 24cm in last 24 hours, said WDB sources.

Over 19,000 families of nine unions in Islampur and over 10,000 families of eight unions in Dewanganj were affected as of Saturday.

But the number of marooned people declined with the receding of floodwater, said locals.

Several thousand flood-hit families of the upazilas had yet to get relief, claimed Abdus Salam, chairman of Chinaduli Union Parishad.

“I have distributed 15 tonnes of rice among 1,500 affected families till Sunday afternoon, but 1,500-2,000 more families were in need of relief, he said.

The water level in all 16 rivers including the Brahmaputra, Dharla, Teesta and Dudhkumar were declining slowly, while the major rivers were flowing under the danger mark.

The Brahmaputra was flowing 7cm under danger level in Chilmari Ghat point in Kurigram yesterday afternoon. Other rivers were also flowing under the danger level, Kurigram WDB sources said.

But water recession has also been causing corrosion of land that turned several families homeless.

Several hundred people of six upazilas in the district have lost their houses due to erosion, said the district disaster relief and rehabilitation office sources.

After two days' of struggle the WDB men along with military personnel could fix the damaged embankment at Bahuka point in Sirajganj yesterday afternoon.

“The damaged ring embankment at Bahuka point was repaired with sand bags and bamboo piling. The repair was hampered due to huge water pressure, but we came out successful,” said Sayed Hasan Imam, executive engineer of WDB.

The water level was declining in the Jamuna, which was still flowing 73cm above danger mark, WDB sources said.

“In the last two days the water level has decreased by 11 centimetre, but the Jamuna is flowing 73 centimetre above danger mark. Floodwater is receding, but waterlogging in the flood-hit areas is likely to persist a few more weeks,” said District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Md Abdur Rahim.

The government would set up flood shelter centres in 17 flood-prone districts, said Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya at a discussion held at the deputy commissioner's office in Gaibandha.

He added the government had so far allocated 6,100 tonnes of rice, Tk 1.55 crore and 39,000 packets of dry food for the flood victims.

Railway Minister Mojibul Huq yesterday said although rail tracks were not affected by the flood, his ministry was prepared to tackle any such situations.

“We have taken all necessary steps for uninterrupted rail services even amid flood or other natural calamities,” the minister told a press conference at Railway Bhaban in the capital.