Water levels of four Moulvibazar rivers rise; 5,686 people marooned

Due to rain and runoff from upstream several days, the water level of four rivers have risen in Moulvibazar, causing flooding in some areas.

A total of 5,686 people have been marooned in the areas due to the flooding, said Mohammad Sadu Mia, Relief and Rehabilitation Officer in the district.

According to local Water Development Board officials, around 11:00am today, the Manu river was flowing 32 centimetres above the danger level at the Chandnighat point in Moulvibazar town.

Meanwhile, the Juri river surged 186cm above the danger mark, triggering flash floods in adjacent areas. The Kushiyara river was flowing just one cm under the danger level, while the Dhalai river remained below it.

The area of the Juri-Batuli Customs Station road in Juri upazila has been submerged, disrupting traffic and making travel hazardous. Several homes were inundated after an embankment of the Juri river collapsed in Fultala union.

Photo: Mintu Deshwara

In Dakshin Konagaon, about 15 feet of the Juri river embankment collapsed last night, and water started entering nearby localities, said Imtiaz Gafur Maruf, a member of ward-2 of Fultala union. So far, around 40 to 50 houses have been flooded in Konagaon and its surrounding areas.

As of 9:00am today, parts of the Kapnapahar Tea Garden, Hafizi, and Dakshin Sagarnal areas were inundated. Auto-rickshaw drivers were seen navigating the submerged road at considerable risk.

Juri Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Bablu Sutradhar said the local administration is closely monitoring the flood situation and has made arrangements to distribute dry food among the affected families.

In Kulaura, although there have been no major damage so far, six families have taken shelter at Joypasha Government Primary School after the Gogalichara river embankment breached in North Laskarpur, said Kulaura UNO Md Mohiuddin. Relief, including rice, has been distributed among them.

Intermittent rain has been occurring across all seven upazilas of Moulvibazar since May 29.

Md Khaled Bin Olid, executive engineer of the Moulvibazar Water Development Board, said that 442mm of rainfall has been recorded in the last four days.

"If there is no further rain, water levels will start receding. We are currently placing around 2,000 sandbags in the high-risk areas," he said.

Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner Md Israil Hossain said the district administration has allocated 130 tonnes of rice and Tk 21 lakh in seven upazilas as part of flood preparedness. So far, 569 food packets have been distributed, and Tk 3 lakh has been allocated to each upazila.