Flash floods hit Sherpur

Heavy rainfall over the past two days and onrushing water from the upstream flooded 100 villages in Jhenaigati and Nalitabari upazilas of Sherpur, leaving around 5,000 families marooned.

Floodwater affected fish farms, Aman and vegetable fields, and roads, said locals.

They said villages of six unions -- Sannayabhita, Baghber, Rajnagar, Nunni, Puragoan, and Nayabeel of Nalitabari upazila -- have been inundated. People of three wards of Nalitabari municipality are waterlogged.

Jhenaigati upazila town and nearby areas have also been flooded, and water entered government offices, schools, and business establishments.

Md Nakibuzzaman Khan, executive engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board in Sherpur, said the Bhogai and Chellakhali rivers were swelling.

He said water level was also increasing in the Someswari river due to the onrush of hilly waters.

Around 225mm rainfall was recorded in the district in 24 hours as of 4:00pm yesterday, he added.

The engineer added that the water started receding in some areas.

If there is no rain and the weather is favourable, the situation will be normal in two days, he said.

Farmers are going to incur heavy losses.

Humayun Dildar, Jhenaigati upazila agricultural officer, said around 4,300 hectares of Aman fields and around 100 hectares of vegetable fields have been damaged significantly.

A fisheries official said around 50 fish farms have been flooded already.

Torofdar Mahmudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Sherpur, said they would start distributing relief materials among the flood victims if necessary. "We are closely monitoring the situation."

Meanwhile, around 30 villages have been inundated in Mymensingh's Dhobaura upazila yesterday.

The villages of four unions -- Dakshin Maizpara, Gamaritola, Ghoshgaon, and Purakandulia -- have been flooded as the Netai river was swelling due to heavy rainfall and an onrush of water from the hilly areas across the border.

Md Akhlak Ul Jamil, executive engineer of WDB in Mymensingh, said water level could rise if it rains for two more days.