Flood triggers river erosion in 2 districts

The sudden decrease in water flow at Teesta and Dharala basins triggered serious river erosion in many areas of Kurigram and Lalmonirhat districts.

In the last 24 hours, five schools were washed away by the Brahmaputra River, and 18 more have remained at risk in Kurigram and Teesta and Dharala rivers devoured some 63 houses in Lalmonirhat.

In Kurigram, the overall flood situation of the district has worsened further as the Brahmaputra was flowing 37 cm above the danger level at Chilmari point while the Dharala 18 cm above the danger mark at the Bridge point.

Click on the markers on the map and zoom in to see details on the flood situation in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Sirajganj and Jamalpur districts of Bangladesh.  

The water level of Dudhkumar has increased by 4 cm while the flow of the Teesta has decreased by 14 cm. The two rivers were flowing slight below the danger level.

In the last 24 hours, 15 villages went under water in the district and 325 villages at 405 chars have remained submerged, leaving two lakh people marooned by floodwaters.

At least three people drowned in the floodwaters in Sadar and Chilmari upazilas of the district on Wednesday.

Laily Begum, 22, wife of Saidur Rahman of Shahkahat village in Chilmari, Hamidul Haque, 17, son of Panir Uddin of Khamar Halokhana village in Sadar upazila and Siddque, 7, drowned in the floodwaters.

Executive magistrate Enamul Haque, acting officer of district relief and rehabilitation office, said some 300 tonnes of rice, Tk 8.25 lakh in cash, and 2,000 packets dry foods were allocated for the flood-affected people of nine upazilas in the district.

The scarcity of food and pure drinking water has turned acute in the flood-hit areas.

More than 193 educational institutions in nine upazilas were inundated and among the schools, 129 have remained shut unofficially. Five schools were washed away by the Brahmaputra, and 18 more have also remained at risk.

In Lalmonirhat, over one lakh people at 36 villages of 16 unions in Hatibandha, Kaliganj, Aditmari and Sadar upazilas of the Teesta basin remained trapped in floodwaters for the past five days.

The Teesta River was flowing 20 cm below the danger level while the Dharola was flowing 25 cm above the red mark at Kulaghat point on Thursday morning, according to sources at the local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board.

Serious river erosion triggered in many areas of the district following sudden decrease in water flow. The Teesta and Dharla devoured at least 63 houses in the last 24 hours.

The flood-affected people were suffering much for lack of pure drinking water, sanitation, food and shelters. People in most of flood affected areas are suffering from waterborne diseases.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Social Welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed distributed relief materials among 600 flood victims of Char Bairati area on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. During the relief distribution, the state minister said all affected people will get government relief. None will remain starved.

Moreover, Lalmonirhat deputy commissioner Abul Fayez Md Alauddin Khan distributed 500 packets of dry foods, Tk 2 lakh in cash and 8 tonnes of GR rice among flood-affected people in Hatibandha and Aditmari upazilas.