Flood inundates over 34,000 hectares of croplands in Rajshahi division

Crops of around 34,342 hectares of lands were inundated by the floodwaters in different districts of Rajshahi division till Wednesday, officials said.

Various crops like newly transplanted Aush and Aman paddy, Aman seedbeds, direct seeded Aman, betel leaf, sugarcane and vegetables were affected badly because of overflowing of water in different rivers caused by heavy downpour and onrushing of waters from upstream.

According to sources of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), the crops were either completely or partially affected by the deluge in the districts of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, Natore, Bogura, Pabna and Sirajganj.

“We’ve, so far, recorded standing crops on 9,944 hectares of land affected in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon and Natore districts,” said Sudhendra Nath Roy, additional director of DAE, Rajshahi, adding that the others were affected in Sirajganj, Bogura and Pabna districts.

The ongoing flood has been causing a huge financial loss to the betel leaf farmers in the district besides posing a serious threat to the cash crop farming in the years to come.

Shamsul Haque, deputy director of DAE, said the extent of loss caused by the natural disasters is estimated to be around Tk 55 million.

Meanwhile, around 751,152 people of 187,788 families have become marooned in the division.

Moinul Islam, additional commissioner of Rajshahi division, said the worst-affected families are getting relief materials to overcome their livelihood-related sufferings triggered by the current disastrous situation.

Tk 2.42 million in cash, 1235.68 tonnes of rice, 597,000 packets dry-food and Tk 600,000 for baby food are being distributed among the marooned people in the worst-hit areas of Sirajganj, Bogura, Natore and Rajshahi districts.

Besides, Tk 600,000 for cattle feed is also being distributed in Sirajganj, Bogura and Naogaon districts.

He said the government has also allocated another 1524.32 tonnes of rice, Tk 3.13 million in cash, Tk 600,000 for baby food, 213,000 packets of dry foods and Tk 1.1 million for cattle feed for distribution among the affected people in all the eight districts in the division.

There are also additional relief materials of 1,500 tonnes of rice, Tk 4 million in cash, 17,000 packets of dry food, Tk 1.5 million for baby food, Tk 1.5 million for cattle-feed for Sirajganj, Pabna, Bogura and Natore districts, Mainul Islam added.

In Sirajganj district, above 500,000 people have been affected by the flood in around 1,028-kilometer low-lying areas. As part of its humanitarian assistant to handle the flood situation in the district, the government has adopted relief support programmes of 285 tonnes of rice, Tk 389,000 in cash, 589,000 packets dry food, Tk 200,000 for baby food and another Tk 200,000 for cattle feed.

Around 133,000 people in 167 villages were affected by the flood water in Bogura district. The government has been distributing relief materials of 610 tonnes of rice, Tk 1.3 million in cash, 6,000 packets dry food, Tk 200,000 for baby food and Tk 200,000 for cattle feed.

A total of 6,800 families were given 68 tonnes of rice and Tk 415,000 in cash among 30,500 people of 7,000 families in Natore.

In Naogaon, 18,968 families were affected in 17 unions of Manda, Atrai, Raninagar, Naogaon Sadar, Porsha, Sapahar and Mohadevpur upazilas.

The hardest hit families have, so far, received relief materials of 135 tonnes of rice, Tk 202,500 in cash, 1,000 packets dry food, Tk 200,000 of baby food and Tk 200,000 for cattle feed in the district.

The government has also allocated 215 tonnes of rice, Tk 500,000 in cash, Tk 200,000 for baby food, 2,000 packets dry food and Tk 400,000 for cattle feed.