Kurigram: Over 50,000 stranded as flood hits new areas

The flood situation in the northern districts deteriorated yesterday due to heavy rainfall and the onrush of water from upstream.

Vast tracts of low-lying areas were inundated due to the rise in the water level of the Teesta, Brahmaputra, Dharla, and Dudhkumar rivers.

"Brahmaputra-Jamuna and the Ganges-Padma rivers are on a rising trend, which may continue in the next 72 hours," a bulletin from the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said yesterday.

In the next 24 hours, the water level at some points of the Jamuna River along Jamalpur, Gaibandha, Bogura, and Sirajganj districts may rise and cross the danger levels," it added.

The flood situation in the low-lying areas in Kurigram along the Brahmaputra River may deteriorate at the same time, the bulletin warned.

Abdul Hai Sarkar, district relief and rehabilitation officer in Kurigram, said 450 chars and low-lying riverside areas have been flooded, leaving about 50,000 locals marooned in the district.

Most residents of the affected areas have either taken shelter on boats or the WDB embankment.

"The water has been rising since yesterday afternoon. It entered our house this morning. We might have to relocate soon if the water levels keep increasing," said Mobarak Ali, a 60-year-old farmer of Char Jatrapur in Kurigram Sadar.

Contacted, Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saidul Arif said the district administration will provide sufficient relief materials to the flood-hit people.

Meanwhile, the water level of some rivers in the northeastern region began to recede.

The overall flood situation in various low-lying areas of the northeastern region may remain unchanged, said the FFWC bulletin.

"The Surma, Bhugai, and Kangsha rivers in the northeastern region of the country are in a falling trend, while Kushiyara river is in a rising trend, which may continue in the next 24 hours."

According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the Surma River, although above the danger level, marked a fall, while the Sari-Gowain River was flowing further below the danger level. However, the Kushiyara, Manu, and Khowai rivers were still above the danger level and rising.

At 3:00pm, the Surma was flowing 81cm above the danger level at Sylhet's Kanaighat Point, the Sari-Gowain was flowing at 127cm below the danger level at Jaintiapur's Sarighat point.

At 6:00pm, the Kushiyara was flowing 142cm above the danger level at Amalshid point of Sylhet; the Manu was flowing 58cm below the danger level at the Railway Bridge point, while it was flowing 45cm above the danger level at Moulvibazar Sadar point; and the Khowai was flowing 45cm above the danger level at Balla Point.

Many flood-hit people said that they were facing a crisis of relief materials.

Shamsun Nahar of Rahimpur under Moulvibazar's Kamalganj upazila said, "The swelling Dhalai river almost destroyed my house. I sent my children to a relative's house. Otherwise, they would be starving as we have not received any relief aid yet."

Contacted, Sylhet Divisional Commissioner Abu Ahmad Siddique said the administration is working to provide sufficient relief materials to the flood-victim people.

[Our correspondents from Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Lalmonirhat contributed to this report.]