Incessant rain, overflows from upstream inundated haor floodplains
Flooding situation across the Sunamganj, Netrokona, Mymensingh and Sherpur districts, especially the haor basin in the country, is feared to deteriorate due to incessant raining and overflows from upstream.
Inundation at the floodplains left hundreds of dwellers marooned and in some parts of the haor region, road communications were snapped. Farmers fear that water logging might damage their crop fields.
Water level at Sunamganj Sadar, Bishwambharpur and Tahirpur upazila is rising. Overflows from upstream inundated the Sunamganj-Tahirpur road, snapping the inter-district road communication.
If the water level continues to rise, low lands across Sunamganj would be flooded entirely within next couple of days, said Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials, adding that Sunamganj and Cherapunji of India at upstream witnessed incessant rain for last three days.
At 3:00pm on Wednesday, water of the River Surma flowed 20 centimetres above danger level at Sholaghar point in Sunamganj municipality area. Within 24 hours, water of the Surma rose 16cm up. Overflowing Surma water inundated Barapara, Nabinagar and Tegharia localities in the Sunamganj municipality.
Floodplains of Kalmakanda, Durgapur, Khaliajuri, Mohanganj and Madan of Netrokona district were flooded, leaving road communication in some parts of the areas snapped.
At 8:30pm on Wednesday, BWDB executive engineer Mohanlal Soikat said that water of the River Someshwary flowed 20cm above the danger level at Durgapur point in the district.
Roads across Kalmakanda Sadar, Barakhapan, Koilati, Pogla, Kullagara of Durgapur, Gaokandia, Mohanganj, Madan and Khaliajuri were inundated while fish at several ponds washed away due to the incessant rain.
Netrokona deputy commission Kazi Md Abdur Rahman said that the district administration is ready to provide disaster responses to the upazila nirbahi officers. He said there are adequate arrangement of food and shelter facilities to tackle any unusual situation.
Many households around 10 villages under the Jhenaigati upazila were submerged due to the incessant rain since Tuesday night.
Flash flood from Meghalaya of India overflowed along the River Maharshi, inundating Ramerkura, Dighirpar, Khailkura and Jhenaigati upazila headquarters. Some government establishments went under water.
Around 1,500 families at Nalitabari of Sherpur district were marooned as water submerged the area after breaching embankment at five points along the River Bhogai.
Due to the overflow of water on two main roads–the Nalitabari-Nichpara and Nalitabari-Noyabil–of the upazila, road communications remain suspended.
Raining on Tuesday night caused breaching of embankment at three points in Noyabil union, and two points at Garkanda and Nichpara in Nalitabari municipality area, leaving around 1,500 dwellers at Garkanda, Nichpara and Shilpara marooned.
Hoping that the flood water would recede soon, mayor at Nalitabari municipality, Abu Bakkar Siddique, after visiting the affected areas, said, ward councillors are duly instructed to take necessary action to tackle the disaster.
Cracks at the embankment of River Netai caused Dhobaura of Mymensingh flooded. Farmers of the area feared that the flash flood would damage their crop fields.
One certain Billal Hossain of Kalsindur village in Gamaritala union, said, “Waking up in the morning, I spotted water intruding into the area through cracks developed at the embankment of River Netai”.
Breach of the embankment caused inundation across Raypur, Kamalpur, Chhander Nagar and neighbouring areas. Noyapara, Dighalbag and Kalikabari villages of Ghosgaon union experienced the similar situation. Some families in the localities became marooned.
Gamaritala union parishad (UP) chairman Anwar Hossain Khan visited the affected areas.
He said the UP authorities were helping the affected people and cattle were taken to safer place. The flood-affected people would be provided with relief by the union parishad.
Dhobura upazila nirbahi officer Rafiquzzaman also visited the affected areas. He said that dry food and relief materials were distributed among the affected people. “BWDB authorities have been informed to repair the damaged parts of embankment,” he said.
[Staff correspondents and correspondents contributed to filing the report]
*This report appeared in the print editions of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English by Sadiqur Rahman.