Floodwaters rise after heavy rains upstream

Water levels rose in some low-lying areas of Sylhet and Sunamganj due to heavy rain in the country's northeastern region and water flowing in from the upstream of India's Meghalaya yesterday.

Stranded in floods for nearly two weeks, locals fear that the water may now take longer to recede.

Sylhet's Companiganj and Gowainghat  upazilas, along with Sunamganj's Chhatak and Dowarabazar are the worst-affected.   

"The water started to recede slowly four days ago. If the rain continues, we worry the town would be flooded again by tomorrow [today] morning," said Mahbub Alam, a resident of Chhatak municipality area.

Anwar Haque, a victim on the banks of Khasiamara river in Dowarabazar, said, "Floodwaters in all nearby villages had just begun receding. Within a week, water coming from the upstream is making them rise again."

Jahurul Islam, executive engineer of Water Development Board in Sunamganj, said, "As it has been raining heavily, water from India has caused the floodwater level in our country to slightly go up. However, the rate at which it is rising is not alarming."

The Water Development Board said the rain was seasonal and might continue for days.

Within 24 hours till 9:00am yesterday, 170mm rainfall was recorded in Chhatak, while 110 mm was recorded in Sunamganj's Tahirpur upazila, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).

Five rivers across the country were flowing above danger level yesterday.

Of them, the Surma was flowing 63cm above the danger level at Kanaighat in Sylhet, while Kushiyara was flowing 134cm above the danger level at Amolshid in Sylhet's Zakiganj and 45cm above the danger level at Sheola in Beanibazar upazila, the report added.