Eight die, nearly 2.25m affected by floods in 18 districts

State minister for disaster management and relief Enamur Rahman on Thursday said the flood situation in nine districts including Faridpur, Munshiganj, Tangail, Manikganj, Shariatpur may worsen further in the next 24 hours.

Enamur told the media that eight people have so far died in the floods that have affected nearly 2.25 million people of 487,376 families in 18 districts.

He informed this in the light of a report from the flood forecasting and warning centre under Water Development Board (WDB) at a virtual press conference from the secretariat on the overall flood situation.

However, this flood will not last long because the river water increasing right now will start receding in the next 48 hours, he said.

“Water in the Brahmaputra river will start receding in 48 hours while swelling Jamuna will become stable during that time,” he said.

Enamur also said that water in Padma river will keep increasing in the next 48 hours.

“Flood situation may worsen in Sirajganj, Tangail, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur Rajbari and lower parts of Dhaka in the next 24 hours,” said the state minister said according to WDB flood warning report.

However, flood situations in Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura, Natore and Naogaon will remain stable, he added.

The state minister also said that water in all rivers except Kushiara river in the Northeastern part has started receding, the flood situation will develop in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Kurigram.

Among the flood victims, four died in Jamalpur, one each in Sunamganj, Lalmonirhat, Sylhet and Tangail, he informed.

He further informed that 535 unions in 92 upazilas have been hit by the recent flood.

The state minister said the government has allocated Tk 19.1 million in flood-hit areas while 35,822 packets of dry food were distributed.

The local administrations have spent Tk 2.1 million for child food and Tk 2.1 million for cattle feed, he added.

The state minister informed that 1,544 flood centres were opened in 12 districts where 30,705 people and 56,031 animals have taken shelter.

A total of 596 medical teams were formed but 197 among those are working right now, he said.

The state minister urged all to wear masks at shelter centres.

He informed that paddy harvesting is completed in all districts while jute, lentil, vegetables and Aman seedbeds were damaged in the country.

In Faridupur, Padma river water was flowing 83cm above the red mark at Goalanda point in the morning, reported the UNB local correspondent.

People of four upazilas were marooned in the district while road communication between villages and town halted for the flood.

Faridpur WDB executive engineer Sultan Mahmud, said, “The extent of rising water this year is higher than any time and new areas are being flooded every day.”

Deputy Commissioner Atul Sarkar, said shelters centres were prepared where flood-affected people can take shelter if needed.

In Kurigram, Dharla flowed 77cm above the danger mark while Brahmaputra flowed 101cm above the red mark in Chilmari point in the morning.

According to local administration, 300,000 people of 525 villages in 60 unions were marooned in the district.

Among those, 50,000 people have taken shelter in different shelter centres.

In Natore, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak visited flood-hit areas in the afternoon.

He informed that 10,000 people in five unions in Singra upazila were affected.

In Gaibandha, over 150,000 people were marooned in 26 unions, reported UNB local correspondent.

WDB sources said Brahmaputra flowed 118cm above the danger mark while Ghaghot River flowed 93cm beyond the red mark in the morning.

District relief and rehabilitation officer Idris Ali said 210 MTS rice, 3,600 packets of dry food and Tk 1.4 million have been allocated for the flood-affected people in the district.