Flood is found to be a recurrent phenomenon in Bangladesh as the flood situation has deteriorated further in the country for the fourth time in the season with the water level in major rivers including Padma and Jamuna showing a rising trend.
Thousands of people in the flood-hit districts continue to suffer as new areas are being flooded, making a large number of people marooned.
The country’s northern districts-- Gaibandha, Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon and Sirajganj—are witnessing devastation of the deluge while experts said the onrush of flood water from upstream for the last couple of days has led to deterioration of flood.
According to sources, at least 50 villages have been flooded in Bagmara of Rajshahi as 200 houses have collapsed. In Singra of Natore, two dams have been broken and a large area is flooded, communication has cut off and several houses have already been destroyed. In Sirajganj, the people of the char areas are terrified at the rising water level of the Jamuna river again.
The flood situation has deteriorated in Gobindaganj, Palashbari and Sadullapur upazilas of Gaibandha district. About 75,000 people in these upazilas have been flooded. Various vegetable fields including banana, sugarcane and standing Aman have been submerged under water.
Around two lakh people of all eight unions of Atrai upazila of Naogaon and all 16 unions of Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi districts have become waterlogged afresh amid deteriorating flood situation as the Little Jamuna and the Atrai rivers spilled.
Officials of the Water Development Board on Friday said that they were working hard to protect the dams. Locals also joined hands to protect embankments and save their houses and croplands from flooding.
A portion of the flood control dam in Gobordhan area of Lalmonirhat district was damaged due to erosion of the river Teesta Tuesday morning. About 40-metre portion of the 250-metre dam got damaged and some other parts of it are on the verge of collapse, said local people.
As a result, over 1,000 homes and crop fields on a vast tract of land now are at the risk of getting flooded. The embankment was constructed in the 2003-2004 fiscal year by the Water Development Board. It had developed some cracks and the WDB was carrying out the repair work.
Meanwhile, the water level of all the rivers in the district including Karatoa, Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Teesta and Ghaghat is continuing to rise. The new flash floods have disrupted public life.
Palashbari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Kamruzzaman told the Bangladesh Post that the number of waterlogged people is increasing every day.
The water of the Jamuna river has been rising at Sirajganj and Kazipur points for several days. In the last 24 hours, the water level has risen by 18 cm and flowing at 8 cm above the danger level at Kazipur point. This has once again terrified the people of the char areas on the banks of the Jamuna river, especially the farmers.
Rafiqul Islam, sub-divisional engineer of Sirajganj Water Development Board, told the Bangladesh Post that the water level of the Jamuna river is rising due to continuous rains. The Flood Forecasting and Warning Center has warned that the water level will continue to rise for the next 24 hours.
Md Mokhlesur Rahman, WDB executive engineer of Gaibandha, said, “Water level of the river Brahmaputra too was increasing but fortunately it continued to flow 17cm below the danger level at Fulchari point, according to the WDB in Gaibandha. Heavy rain coupled with the onrush of water is the reason behind flooding in Gaibandha.”
