Two more die in Sherpur flood; death toll rises 9
Two more died last night and today after being swept away by floodwaters in Sherpur, raising the death toll to nine in the district in four days.
One of the deceased is Jim, 6, daughter of Jamal Mia of Chandernagar village of Sadar upazila, reports our local correspondent quoting Sanowar Hossain, officer-in-change of Nalitabari Police Station.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Police said the 6-year-old was playing in her grandfather's yard in Ghonapara village of Nalitabari upazila. Suddenly she slipped and fell into floodwaters and was found dead half an hour later.
The other victim is Abdur Razzak, 50, of Ghazaria village under Ganapaddi union in Nakla upazila, confirmed Habibur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Nakla Police Station.
The OC said Razzak drowned in flood water on Sunday night while crossing a canal to reach his house from the market.
Earlier, the bodies of seven other victims were recovered from different areas of the district on Friday and Saturday.
Though the flood situation has improved from last night and water began receding from flooded areas, at least 50,000 people are still marooned in five upazilas in Sherpur, said Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials.
Currently, Sherpur Sadar, Jhenaigati, Sreebordi, Nalitabari, and Nakla upazilas are still underwater.
The Bhugai was flowing 75cm below the danger level at Sherpur's Nalitabari at 9:00am today, while the Chellakhali was 77 cm below the danger level at Natkuchi in the same upazila, said Md Nakibuzzaman Khan, executive engineer of BWDB in Sherpur.
While visiting the flood-affected areas, our Jamalpur correspondent witnessed that flood-hit people with their livestock have taken shelter on high bridges and highlands in the upazilas. They were facing acute food, fodder, and safe drinking water crisis.
Many new areas, including houses, farmlands, ponds and roads have been flooded, said locals.
Sherpur District Relief and Rehabilitation Office Suchi Rani Saha said 14,000 packets of dry food have been distributed among flood victims and cooked food has been distributed among 8,000 people.
Deputy Commissioner Tarafdar Mahmudur Rahman said the district and upazila administrations are taking caution to control the flood situation.
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