Major rivers continue to swell
Country's major rivers continued to swell following the incessant rains and onrush of water from the upstream, inundating many areas in Habiganj, Bogura, Sherpur, Sirajganj, Panchagarh, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Sylhet districts newly, reports UNB.
Meanwhile, the flood situation in Feni improved slightly.
Shortage of food and drinking water has mounted the woes of the victims as they claimed that they are yet to get sufficient relief.
In Habiganj, the water level of the Khowai and Kushiara rivers was on the rise and they were flowing 85 cm and 48cm above the danger level respectively on Sunday afternoon.
Habiganj Water Development Board (WDB) executive engineer Tawhidul Islam said the water level of other small rivers -- Ratna, Sutki, Korangi, Sutang and Sonai - was also rising alarmingly.
In Bogura, the Jamuna river was flowing 37 cm above the danger level at Mathurapara point in Sariakandi upazila.
Azhar Ali Mondal, disaster management officer at the deputy commissioner's office, said at least 80 villages under 13 unions and 568 hectares of land in Sariakandi and Sonatola upazilas went under water. Around 57,280 people were affected by the flood while at least 23 educational institutions shut due to the flood.
So far 100 tonnes of rice and 1,000 packets of dry food have been distributed among the flood victims in Sariakandi while 500 packets of dry food and 10.5 tonnes of rice in Sonatola upazila, he said.
In Sherpur, heavy rainfall and onrush of water from the upstream flooded low-lying areas in Sadar and Jhenaigati upazilas while the Chelsnakhali river was flowing 1.10 cm above the danger level.
Besides, the erosion by the Mrigi river has turned serious.
Local representatives said around 11,000 people from 35 villages of Sadar and Jhenaigati upazilas remained stranded in floodwater and a total of 19 government primary schools were declared closed due to the flood.
Acting deputy commissioner and local government deputy director ATM Ziaul Islam said low-lying areas of seven unions in five upazilas were inundated by floodwater.
He said flood control dams were on the verge of collapse at a number of points.
However, WDB and the local administration were working on those, Ziaul said, adding that 150 tonnes of rice and Tk 2.5 million have been allocated to face the flood situation.
In Sirajganj, the water level of the Jamuna river rose 58 cm in the past 24 hours till Sunday and it was flowing 25 cm above the danger level, said Ranjit Kumar Sarkar, sub-divisional officer of local water development board.
New areas in Chouhali, Shahjadpur, Enayetpur, Kazipur, Belkuchi and Sadar upazilas went under water following the incessant rains and hilly water.
Meanwhile, erosion by the mighty river ate away many houses.
In Panchagarh, many low-lying areas of five upazilas were submerged newly as water of all the major rivers of the district swelled further due to continuous rain.
Nimnagar, Khalpara, Ramerpara, Rajnagar and Tulardanga in Sherpur municipality, Dhakkamara, Kamat, Kajaldighi, Chaklahat and Sadar unions in Sadar upazila, Shalbagan, Debnagar, Tironihat and Banglabandha of Tentulia upazila, and Bera municipality, Benhari Bangram, Kajaldighi Kaliaganj and Marera unions in Boda were affected by the flood.
In Lalmonirhat, the flood situation deteriorated further as the Teesta and Dharla were flowing 20 cm and 30 cm above the danger level respectively.
Hundreds of flood victims were starving as they were yet to get any relief.
Meanwhile, the district administration said they have allocated 150 tonnes of rice as relief which is inadequate.
Heavy rain for the past few days and strong pressure of water have broken down three embankments and roads flooding eight new villages. Besides, 39 educational institutions were shut down.
In Kurigram, the water level of all the 16 rivers, including Dharla, Teesta, Dudhkumar and Brahmaputra, was on the rise, flooding fresh areas and affecting over 300,000 people of 400 villages.
Additional deputy commissioner Md Hafizur Rahman said they have allocated 50 tonnes of rice from their reserve for the flood-hit people.
DC office sources said a list of flood victims has been made to distribute relief materials among them.
In Sylhet, over 200,000 people remained marooned as the water level of all rivers in the district rose.
Executive engineer of Sylhet Water Development Board Shahiduzzaman Sarkar said the water level of different rivers in the district was about the touch the danger level and the situation may take a devastating turn if the water rises further.
Deputy commissioner of the district Kazi Emdadul Islam said they have enough relief materials reserved and 43 tonnes of relief have already been distributed among the flood-hit people.
In Feni, the flood situation started to improve on Sunday as water was receding from 26 villages that were inundated earlier.
However, academic activities at 10 primary schools remained closed.
The villages were flood as flood control embankments along the Muhuri and Kahua rivers broke down at 12 points in Fulgazi and Parshuram upazilas, affecting around 50,000 people.