Floods pummel Northeast

Heavy rains and rush of water from upstream in India's northeast have inundated large swathes of Sylhet division, leaving thousands stranded and triggering a humanitarian crisis.

The floods that hit the country's north-eastern parts swept away homes and inundated farmlands in a span of three weeks, forcing families to seek shelter on higher ground and temporary flood shelters, while a halt in power supply is making life miserable.

Around 90 percent of Sunamganj and over 60 percent of Sylhet have been submerged, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).

All regional highways, including Sylhet-Sunamganj and Sylhet-Bholaganj, have been submerged and road connectivity has already been snapped due to the intensity of flooding.

Many locals considered the flood worse than the ones they had experienced in 1998 and 2004. The crisis has struck at a time when people of the region were just recovering from unexpected recent floods.

In April, low-lying parts of Sylhet were inundated while severe flooding hit the diviosional city in May.

The Bangladesh Army has already started working to rescue people and distributing relief materials following the local civil administration's request for army deployment. The coast guard is also playing a major role in getting to people in remote areas.

Meanwhile, the flood situation in the northern parts of the country, especially Kurigram and Lalmonirhat, also worsened yesterday as water in all three rivers in those districts swelled.

In the north-eastern parts, there is a rising trend in water levels of all major rivers. According to the FFWC, the flood situation in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrakona districts may deteriorate further in the next 24 hours. The water level will continue to rise for the next three days.

Flight operations in Sylhet's Osmani International Airport have been suspended for three days as flood water has reached the runway, Hafiz Ahmed, airport manager, told The Daily Star.

Road communication was severely disrupted as major roads went under water, leaving many stranded. Ground floors of buildings in many areas were completely submerged.

"Only two weeks ago, we experienced a flash flood and now another blow. This time it seems more devastating. We don't know how long we will be stranded," said Aminul Islam, a resident of Sylhet city's Upasahar area.

Karim Mahmud of Gucchagram village in Sylhet's Gowainghat upazila said, "The level of the floodwater is reminding us of the 2004 and 1998 floods. Most people are heading to shelter centres."

The Jadukata and Surma rivers were flowing 154cm and 120cm above danger level at Lorergarh and Sunamganj points respectively yesterday morning. The Surma was flowing 108cm above the danger level at Kanaighat and 70 cm at Sylhet points, according to the FFWC.

Thirteen rivers were flowing above the danger level in the country yesterday.

Sirajul Islam, president of shop owners' association in Sunamganj town, said, "Even in 2004, I did not see water rise so much in a day. In the last 20 years, the people of Sunamganj have not seen such a terrible flood situation."

Jahangir Hossain, deputy commissioner of Sunamganj, said the severity of the flood situation has surpassed all past records.

Md Mozibur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Sylhet, said, "The situation is getting dangerous and the army responded to our call to help stranded people. We are trying our best to rescue people and to extend relief to them."

A huge number of people in Sylhet and Sunamganj was without power as electricity supply was halted to avoid accidents.

According to the Power Development Board in Sylhet divisional office, at least 1.8 lakh consumers did not have electricity in different upazilas of Sylhet and Sunamganj, including Sadar upazila of Sylhet, South Surma and Chhatak upazilas of Sunamganj, and Sylhet metropolis and its surrounding areas.

Md Arafat-al-Majid Bhuiyan, sub-divisional engineer of Power Development Board in Sylhet, told The Daily Star that the power supply in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts were severely affected by the flood.

Abdur Razzak, executive engineer of PDB in Sylhet, said electricity supply will be restored as soon as the flood situation improves.

Debojit Singha, additional divisional commissioner (general) of Sylhet, said almost 90 percent of Sunamganj Sadar, Dowarabazar and Chhatak upazilas of Sunamganj, and Gowainghat and Companiganj of Sylhet was seriously affected.

"We're taking measures to provide dry food to people. Food from the less affected districts like Habiganj and Moulvibazar are being transported to the affected areas to reach people quickly," he said.

FLOOD IN NORTH

Besides Sylhet division, the flood also affected Netrakona, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Rangpur.

The situation may further deteriorate in the low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, and Kurigram districts, according to the FFWC.

In Rangpur, low-lying areas of Gangachara upazila were inundated as the Teesta rose to 5cm above danger level on Thursday night.

It inundated crops on vast areas , roads and households causing immense hardship to over two million people.

"Almost all croplands in our village have been submerged. Even my peanut field has gone under water," said Shahin Islam of Purba Mahipur village.

The Brahmaputra was flowing 5cm above the danger level in Kurigram's Chilmari point and Dharla 9cm above the danger level at Shimulbari point of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila yesterday afternoon, according to officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board.

Many people have taken shelter on roads, schools and dykes. Road communications have collapsed, crops on vast areas have gone under water.

[Our Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Lalmonirthat and Dinajpur correspondents contributed to this report]