Surma renders Sunamganj residents homeless

Residents of low-lying areas in Sunamganj city have been forced to leave their houses, with the flood situation worsening in the wake of the Surma river breaching the danger mark.

Due to incessant rains in neighbouring India’s Meghalaya district over the last few days and onrush of upstream hilly waters, many rivers in Sunamganj have breached the danger mark.

“Water is flowing above the danger level at Sholaghar point of the Surma river in the city, along with other rivers like Jadukata in Tahirpur. Adding to the woes, 102mm of rainfall have been recorded in Sunamganj in the last 24 hours,” said Jahurul Islam, executive engineer of the Water Development Board.

Meanwhile, in Chhatak upazila, water levels have crossed 152cm in the Surma river, said Md Mamunur Rahman, Chatak Upazila Nirbahi Officer.

Water was seen entering the residential areas of Shoalaghar, Nabinagar, Dharargaon, Jail Road, North Arpin Nagar, Tegharia and Barapara in the Sunamganj municipal area on Tuesday morning.

On the outskirts of the city, villages along the riverbank like Ibrahimpur, Sadargarh and low-lying areas of Chhatak, Tahirpur, Derai, Shalla and Jamalganj were also flooded.

Road communication has been snapped, with the crucial Gobindaganj-Chhatak Road going under water. Moreover, Tahirpur and Bishwambarpur upazilas have been cut off from Sunamganj city, with the connecting road getting submerged.

Bimal Chandra Shom, deputy director of Sunamganj Agricultural Department, said, “500 hectares of Boro land went under water in Sunamganj Sadar, Tahirpur, Chhatak and Doarabazar upazilas. We estimate crop damages amount to around Tk 5 crore (50 million).”