Water levels in major rivers cross danger mark
Flood situation in north, east, south regions worsening
Crops washed away
Livestock in danger
Army deployed to protect Baraikandi power station
Continuous heavy rainfall over the past three days has worsened the flood situation in the greater Sylhet and many other districts in the country’s north, northeast and southern regions.
Nearly 10 lakh people in the areas metropolitan area and throughout the district are now stranded.
The situation in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts may deteriorate as heavy to very heavy rainfall was expected over the north-eastern, northern and adjoining upstream parts of the country in 24 to 48 hours commencing 9am on Wednesday.
Some low-lying areas along the river of Netrokona district may see deterioration in flood situation during the period, according to a bulletin of Flood Forecasting and Warning Cetre of Bangladesh Water development Board.
All the major rivers in the north-eastern region of the country may rise in the next 24 hours, it said.
The ongoing flood situation in
the Monu-Khowai river-connected low-lying areas of Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts may remain steady.
Dudhkumar, Teesta, Dharala rivers in the northern region of the country may rise and the low-lying areas of the Kurigram, Lalmonirhat & Rangpur districts may experience flashflood in the next 24 to 48 hours, it added.
The Brahmaputra-Jamuna River is in rising trend and may continuously rise for the next 72 hours with a chance of touching the warning level at some points.
The Ganges-Padma rivers are in rising trend, which may continue in next 48 hours.
Except the Surma, all the major rivers in the North-eastern region of the country are in rising trend, said FFWC.
Situation in Sylhet worsens: 7 lakh people stranded amid continuous rain
In Sylhet, continuous heavy rainfall over the past three days has worsened the flood situation in the district for the second time in just 20 days.
Nearly seven lakh people in the Sylhet metropolitan area and throughout the district are now stranded.
In the metropolitan area alone, 50,000 people across 21 wards have been affected by flooding, according to Sylhet district administration sources.
Sylhet experienced the first phase of flooding on May 27, affecting approximately seven lakh people across all upazilas. The water had not fully receded when heavy rainfall and hill torrents hit again on June 15, worsening the situation by Eid day (June 17).
Heavy rainfall on Eid-ul-Azha morning was briefly followed by a recession, but rain resumed from Tuesday dawn, causing significant overflows in all rivers and streams in Sylhet. On Eid day, water levels were above danger points at two river locations. By Tuesday morning, water levels at four rivers were above danger points at six locations.
On Wednesday morning, water was flowing above danger levels at six points of three rivers.
The Water Development Board in Sylhet reported that by 9 am today, the Surma River at Kanaighat point was 91 cm above danger levels. At another point in Sylhet, it was 31 cm above the danger level. The Kushiyara River was 46 cm above danger level at Amalshid, 92 cm above at Fenchuganj and 12 cm above at Sherpur point.
According to the district administration, 675,937 people in 13 upazilas, including Sylhet metropolitan area, have been stranded till midnight.
Of them, 50,000 people of 21 wards out of 42 in Sylhet metropolitan area are stranded.
A total of 627 shelter centres have been opened in the district. Of these, 80 are in the metropolitan areas. A total of 17,285 people have taken shelter in these centres. However, most people are not willing to leave their homes and go to shelters.
A total of 1,323 villages in 13 upazilas of the district have been inundated. The worst affected are: Gowainghat, Jaintapur, Golapganj, Companiganj, Kanaighat, Zakiganj, Biswanath and Osmaninagar upazilas.
Low-lying areas of the city are particularly hard-hit, with Shahjalal suburb completely submerged and water reaching neck level in many homes. Other severely affected areas include Jatrapur, Mendibagh, Shibganj, Raingar, Sobhanighat, Kalighat, Kamalgarh, Machimpur, Taltala, Jamtola, Kajirbazar, Madina Market, Akhaliya, and Mezortil. Several important roads in the city are also flooded.
From 6 am Tuesday to 6 am Wednesday, the Sylhet Meteorological Office recorded 100 mm of rainfall and 55 mm from 6 am to 9 am today.
Moreover, the Met office forecasted continuous heavy rainfall for the next three days.
The district administration is actively working to rescue stranded individuals and has set up control rooms at the district collector's office and upazila executive offices to monitor the flood situation. Dedicated officers have been appointed in each upazila, and medical teams have been formed at union levels to provide health services to flood victims.
If the heavy rainfall persists, the flood situation in Sylhet is expected to deteriorate further.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibbur Rahman, accompanied by the ministry’s officials, saw the flood-hit areas from a helicopter in the morning. He is scheduled to leave Sylhet for Dhaka by this afternoon.
Situation worsens in Sunamganj; thousands marooned
In Sunamganj, the flood situation in the district deteriorated further on Wednesday due to the rise in water level of some major rivers and onrush of water from the upstream, leaving several thousand people marooned.
A number of rivers have been flowing above the danger level, flooding afresh many areas including Tegharia, Boropara, Paschim Hazipara, Kalipur, Mallikpur, Hasonnagar, Shantibagh, Dhopakhali, Shologhor, Nabinagar, Badhanpara, Kazir Point, Waizkhali, Sultanpur and other areas in the district town.
The Surma was flowing 42 cm above its danger mark at Shologhar point.
The roads and kitchen markets, shops and a number of villages were also flooded due to the onrush of water from upstream.
Mafuz Ali, a resident of Boropara area, said the flood water entered his house and he is leaving his house as it has become impossible to live in flooded house.
Hundreds of people in the town took shelter in the five-story Ansar-VDP’s abandoned building while the domestic animals were also shifted to safer places.
Taiyubur Rahman, a fish trader of Mohanpur union, said all the fish enclosures were washed away by floodwater.
Meanwhile, the communications on Chhatak-Doara, Bishwambharpur, Tahirpur and Jamalganj roads remained snapped as 150 villages of Chatak, Doarabazar, Shantiganj, Jagannathpur, Bishwambharpur, Madhyanagar, Dirai and Tahirpur upazilas were flooded.
However, Chhatak, Doarabazar and Sadar upazilas were the worst affected areas.
Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Sunamganj, Bimol Chandra Shome, said 200 hectares of Aush paddy land were damaged.
Shamsul Karim, district fisheries officer, said 2000 ponds of the district were washed away, causing a Tk 5 crore loss.
Mamun Hawladar, Executive Engineer of Sunamganj Water Development Board, said heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely while the major rivers of the district may cross danger level.
Rashed Iqbal Chowdhury, Deputy Commissioner, said all the rivers have been flowing above the danger level due to the torrential rainfall for the last couple of days.
Already 516 shelter centres have been opened and the people from the flood-hit areas are taking shelter on those, he said
50,000 people stranded as heavy rain lashes Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf
In Cox’s Bazar, around 50,000 people have been stranded in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar as flashflood triggered by heavy downpour inundated low-lying areas of four unions of the upazila.
The rain submerged Kanjor Para, ulubunia, Unchiprang, Sat Gharia Para, Harangkhali of Whykong union, Syed Nur Para, Sulish Para, East Sikdar Para, Moulvibazar, Webrang, Chowdhury Para, Rangikhali Lamar Para, Baharchhara of Hnila union, Uttar Shilkhali, Natun Bazar, Paschimpara of Shamlapur union and Teknaf municipality area, causing immense suffering to the residents.
Nur Muhammad Anwari, chairman of Whaikong union, said many houses were damaged by the overnight rains that lashed the upazila from Tuesday night till 1 pm on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Rashed Mohammad Ali, chairman of Hnila union, said the rain waters did not recede due to the poor drainage system.
Adnan Chowdhuyr, Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said the residents of the upazila have been asked to shift to a safer place through loudspeakers.
Besides, dry foods will be distributed among the affected families, he said.
Army deployed to protect flood affected Sylhet’s Baraikandi power station
Meanwhile, army personnel have been deployed to protect the flood affected Baraikandi power sub-station in South Surma of Sylhet city.
They have been working to ensure uninterrupted power supply from the power sub-station that has been affected by ongoing floods, an ISPR release said on Wednesday.
In response to the request of Sylhet City Corporation, Chief of the Army General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed directed to deploy the army personnel under ‘In Aid to Civil Power’, the ISPR added.
Baraikandi power sub-station supplies electricity to Sylhet railway station, Baraikandi, Kamal Bazar, Masukganj, BSCIC, Lalbazar, Shibbari and Kadamtoli and Sylhet central bus terminal.
