Flood fear grips Cumilla amid downpour, heavy water flow from India

Incessant downpour coupled with a heavy water flow from India has swelled the Gomti River to an alarming extent, putting the Cumilla region at risk of extensive flooding.

Nearly 4,000 hectares of cropland have already been inundated, while the river has recorded a consistent rise in its water level since the previous night.

As of Wednesday morning, the water in Gomti river was flowing below the danger line, but there were fears that it may flood the banks any time.

Multiple residents living along the riverbank said they have not seen such a rise in the Gomti River in the last 10 years. More than a thousand families have already moved to safe shelters from the Char areas.

Syed Arifur Rahman, an official from the meteorological office in Cumilla, said they recorded 79 millimeters of rainfall in the district in the last 24 hours until 12 pm on Wednesday. He feared that there might be more rain in the next 72 hours.

Meanwhile, the water level in the Gomti River was recorded at just 22 cm below the danger line at 10:30 am on Wednesday, according to Abdul Latif, superintending engineer of the water development board in Cumilla.

While visiting the coastal areas in Adarsha Sadar, Burichang, and Brahmanpara upazilas in the morning, it was seen that waves were crashing against the riverbanks and already inundated several thousands of acres of crop fields in the Char areas. Many people were seen leaving their homes and taking shelter on the town protection embankment.

Sharing his ordeal, Alauddin Azad, a resident of the Malapara area, said he has not seen such a high water level in the Gomti River in a decade. He, along with his elderly mother, wife, children, and two cows, took refuge on the embankment.

Abul Kalam, a resident of the Bhanti area in Burichang, said his radish crops, grown on 120 decimals of land, have been flooded. Another farmer, Nawab Miyan from the Kamarkhara area, also lost his beans and pumpkin crops to the floodwaters.

More than a hundred families were seen taking shelter on the embankment in the Tikkar Char area. In some Chars, the water level rose to chest-deep. The victims said they could not bring even essential items while leaving their homes for shelter.

Romen Sharma, the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Adarsha Sadar Upazila, said he has been visiting different points along the Gomti River since last night. The embankment suffered damage in some areas, and locals were working to repair it with soil and sandbags.

Apart from the downpour, water continues to flow into Cumilla from India through the Kakri, Paguli, and Salda rivers, in addition to the Gomti. Officials fear a widespread flood in the district if the situation remains unchanged.