Flood worsening in Sylhet, Navy joins rescue mission

The flood situation is worsening in the Sylhet division with many still stranded in different areas of the division. The members of the Bangladesh Navy have also joined the rescue operations for the flood victims in Sylhet on Saturday.

Sylhet’s deputy commissioner Md Mojibur Rahman confirmed the development to Prothom Alo.

Earlier on Friday, Bangladesh Army started rescue operations in different upazilas of Sylhet. The army men are evacuating people stranded in remote villages by ‘rescue boat’.

District administration sources said a team of 35 divers of the Navy has joined the rescue work and 60 more are on the way to Sylhet. Two cruisers of Coast Guard will reach Sylhet in the afternoon. One will conduct rescue operations in Sylhet and one in Sunamganj—the two worst-hit districts.

Two helicopters of the Bangladesh Airforce will also join the rescue.

The administration has said a team of Navy is working in Sylhet Sadar upazila’s Jalalabad union and another team is working in Companiganj upazila.

The army is conducting rescue operations in Sylhet Sadar, Companiganj and Gowainghat upazilas today.

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh are also evacuating the stranded people in border areas.

Meanwhile, Water Development Board’s Sylhet office sources said the water level of the Surma river has crossed the danger level in Kanaighat and Sylhet point at around 6 in the morning today. Other rivers were also swelling due to heavy rainfall.

New areas are being flooded as water surges in 25 to 30 areas of Sylhet city.

Locals said the flood situation is deteriorating in Companiganj, Gowainghat, Kanaighat, Zakiganj, Jaintiapur, South Surma, Fenchuganj and Sadar upazilas.