Flood water recedes slowly in Mymensingh
As water slowly recedes in flood affected upazilas in Mymensingh, the residents are now facing a crisis of food and drinking water.
Haluaghat, Dhobaura and Phulpur upazilas of Mymensingh were flooded due to incessant rain and onrush of upstream water on Friday.
“Water started entering slowly on Friday. Everything gets inundated on Sunday. Water is yet to recede. Such massive flooding is unprecedented,” Riazul Islam, a 59-year-old farmer, said near Bonpara Bridge in Phulpur on Thursday.
Local administrations as well as different voluntary organisations are distributing relief to flood affected people.
The flood situation in Phulpur upazila is improving slowly as water slowly recedes from Sondhara, Singheshwar, Phulpur Sadar, Balia and Rupasi union parishad.
However, around 30,000 people of 32 villages of five union parishads are still waterlogged. The residents of these areas are living mostly on dry food.
As Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of Hindu community, is being celebrated, two Puja mandaps had to be shifted due to flooding.
Mofiz Uddin, 58, a labourer of Bonpara village, said he cultivated paddy on 13 kathas of land this year, which was submerged in water.
He said, 'Our area has been flooded since Sunday. Water only decreased by a few inches in the last four days. The water is almost stagnant. We’ve not seen a protracted flood.”
Phulpur’s upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) ABM Ariful Islam said the flood situation is improving. Relief activities are going on. The government is overseeing the relief. Those who are distributing relief are coordinating with local administration.
Pourashava and 12 unions of Haluaghat upazila were flooded as water of the Boraghat river increased due to heavy rains and onrush of upstream water. The situation is improving today in Narail, Bildora and Shakuai unions of the upazila. Flood water is receding in nine other unions of the upazila. A total of 24,000 people in 25 villages of the upazila are waterlogged.
Dhobaura upazila was flooded due to heavy rains, upstream water and dam collapse of Netai river. The water is gradually receding in Porakandulia, Goatala and Dhobaura Sadar. At least 23,000 people in 45 villages in this upazila are waterlogged.
Nishat Sharmin, UNO of Dhobaura, said that the flood situation is improving as the water has started receding. Floods have caused extensive damage to agriculture, fisheries and water resources sectors. There is a shortage of fresh water in the affected areas. Water purification tablets are also requested to be given to those who are coming to distribute relief materials.