Flood situation worsens in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona
Flood situations in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona districts are expected to prolong as people in the northeast region of the country are witnessing flood for the third time exactly within one month.
"The third wave of devastating flood battered wide swaths of two north-eastern districts Sylhet, Sunamganj and other parts of Bangladesh as third spell of flood-hit northeastern parts in a shorter time meaning this unusual phenomenon will linger suffering life and livelihood, "hydrologists and residents told the news agency.
FFWC Executive Engineer sardar Udoy Raihan said, " Northern regions of Bangladesh and some states of India have witnessed torrential rainfall as monsoon is set early, impacted by the cyclone Rimel resulting in flooding for a third time in Sylhet and Sunamganj".
He forecasted the flood situation will be prolonged as almost the entire country experienced heavy rainfall triggered by active monsoon. Due to massive amounts of rainfall, major rivers are overflowing and submerging vast tracts of land along the rivers, Raihan added.
According to the local administration, thousands of people have been marooned in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts as flood water submerged much of the two districts.
Rezaun Rahman, Director General of Department of Disaster Management, told BSS that, "We are overseeing the flood situation in Sylhet and Sunamganj round-the-clock . . . initially, we are working with local administration and other relevant agencies to provide emergency assistances for minimising sufferings of the flood-hit people."
As part of emergency assistance, the department of disaster-management is distributing cash, dry food and pure drinking water among the flood-affected people in the north-eastern districts, he added.
Aftermath of the prolonged flooding, relevant ministries including agriculture and the road transport and bridges ministry will submit a complete report on damages caused by the flood, the DG added.
Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Sheikh Reshel Hasan said the fresh spell of flood triggered by heavy rainfall submerged low-lying areas in the district.
"Flood affected people are battling with three cycles of flood as life and livelihoods are damaged severely in the northeastern district Sylhet," he added.
The first spell of flood affected thousands of people in 13 upazilas and municipalities of Sylhet district in late May and the flash flood prolonged in the first week of the current month, leaving a large number of people marooned.
The Sunamganj district administration sources said flood water submerged 11 upazilas and Sunamganj municipality.
Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation Anwaruzzaman Choudhury said, "Volunteer teams of the city corporation are working to extend assistance for flood-hit people. We have arranged an adequate amount of food at shelter centres."
A devastating flood, triggered by heavy rainfall and onrush water from hilly regions, have affected 2 million people in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, according to a statement of UNICEF issued recently.
The statement, signed by Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative to Bangladesh, read among the 2 million flood-affected people in the two north-eastern regions of Sylhet and Sunamganj 772,000 are children.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) has marked the rise of water level at 90 river stations and fall at 19 stations. Among the 110 monitored river stations, water level at one river station has remained steady while water at nine stations are flowing above the danger level, a bulletin issued by the FFWC said on Tuesday.
The river Surma at Kanaighat area is flowing 118 cm above the danger level while the river is flowing 27 cm above danger mark.
According to the latest FFWC bulletin, the Kushiyara at Amalshid, at Sheola, at Sherpur-Sylhet and at Markuli, the Manu at Moulvibazar, the Someshwari at Kalmakanda and Bhugai at Nakuagaon are flowing 71 cm, 22 cm, 7 cm, 32 cm, 10 cm, 57 cm and 2 cm above the danger level respectively.
In the next 48 hours, water level of the Brahmaputra may rise and cross the danger level at particular points. In the next 24 hours, flood situation in the low-lying areas of Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona districts may deteriorate slightly and it may remain steady for Moulvibazar district.
Significant rainfall was recorded at some stations in different districts during the last 24 hours ending at 9:00 am Tuesday.
A total of 309 mm rainfalls were recorded at Jafflong (Sylhet), 230 mm at Chhatak (Sunamganj), 194 mm at Moheshkhali (Sunamganj), 175 mm at Jariajanjail (Netrokona), 142 mm at Pateshwari (Kurigram), 107 mm at Chattogram, 105 mm at Nakuagaon (Sherpur), 90 mm at Bandarban, 77 mm at Sylhet, 72 mm at Gaibandha, 68 mm at Dalia (Rangpur), 62 mm at Sreemangal, 300 mm at Sunamganj, 211 mm at Lorergarh (Sunamganj), 183 mm at Sherpur-Sylhet (Moulvibazar), 169 mm at Ramgarh (Chattogram), 106 mm at Kanaighat (Sylhet), 100 mm at Latu (Sylhet), 86 mm at Sangu Bandarban, 75 mm at Parshuram (Feni), 282 mm at Lalakhal (Sylhet), 198 mm at Sylhet, 183 mm at Teknaf (Cox's Bazar), 160 mm at Durgapur (Netrokona), 130 mm at Chilmari (Kurigram), 119 mm at Kurigram, 106 mm at Kaunia, 75 mm at Noakhali and 47 mm at Jamalpur.
During the last 24 hours, significant rainfalls (mm) were recorded in some states like West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal, Tripura and Mizoram of India, the bulletin added.