The overall flood situation in the north districts of the county deteriorated on Monday as the rising major rivers and its tributaries coupled with heavy rain inundated vast tracts in many areas, leaving thousands of people marooned.
Village after village has been wiped out while hundreds of houses have been destroyed.
There has been immense destruction as heavy downpour and overflowing rivers submerged vast areas in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Sirajganj and other districts in northern region.
“Flood has washed away everything before my eyes. I along with my family members managed to survive somehow,” a 56-year old man of Rajarhat upazila of Kurigram district broke down in tears as he spoke.
“I used to live my family members at my 2-storey building. I was happy and solvent. But, the river erosion devoured my house while flood washed away everything overnight. I’m now destitute. I don’t know how and in what way I shall run my family as I don’t have either food or house,” another man said as wailing.
Rivers in different areas of the country are flowing above the danger level and that is why the flood situation continued to worse in the region due to continuous heavy downpour in the country.
The flood is destroying habitats, houses, crops, livestock and fisheries in those districts.
Sufferings of the flood-hit people have also been intensified with deterioration of overall flood situation there.
All communications between the upazila town and the villages were cut off.
People were searching for shelter in boats. Boats were the only means of communication then.
The flood left thousands of people marooned and without access to safe drinking water, power and mobile network connection.
As a result, access to essential services and supplies has become severely limited for the affected areas.
As the flood situation has deteriorated in Kurigram, Nilphamari and Sirajganj districts the people of the affected areas are in dire straits due to a cattle-feed crisis.
After being submerged under flood waters, the feed for cattle in the lands they graze has been completely destroyed.
Besides, many farmers’ stored cattle-feed has also been washed away as the waters damaged many structures like homes and out-houses.
In this situation, the cattle farmers are now worried about the safety of their own food as well.
The flood also destroyed the crops filed, houses and many infrastructures and washed away fish ponds.
The onrush of upstream waters coupled with moderate to very heavy downpours also breached embankments submerging the habitats.
The low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari and Sirajganj districts went under water as the Teesta crossed its danger mark (DM) at Dalia point in Nilphamari due to onrush of water from the upstream.
A bulletin of Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC) of the Bangladesh Water Development Board says the Brahmaputra river is in steady state while the Jamuna river is in rising trend.
The Brahmaputra river may rise and the Jamuna river may remain steady today (Tuesday).
The Ganges-Padma River is in rising trend which may continue in the next 48 hours.
All the major rivers in the North-Eastern region of the country are in rising trend, which may remain steady till today.
The Teesta, Dharla and Dudkumar rivers in the northern region of the country are in steady state, which may rise and the Teesta at Dalia, Dharla at Kurigram and Dudkumar at Pateswari points may flow close to their respective danger levels till today.
The flood situation in the low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts of the Teesta basin may remain steady.
So, many schools, markets, streets, mosques, madrashahs, croplands and houses in those areas are at risk being washed away by the river.
As Bangladesh is a riverine country, a good number of people are living across the riverbank and char areas.
So, these people are affected by flood almost every year.
The local administration will have to intensify distributing relief materials in the worst-affected areas.
Simultaneously, the department of health must undertake measures to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases in flood-affected areas.
People from all walks of life will extend all out supports and stand beside the marooned people in affected areas Nilphamari, Kurigram and Sirajganj along with the administration during this tough situation.
The authorities concerned must closely monitor the developing situation and take instant steps when and where necessary to face the possible flood situation.