The flood situations worsened in some of the northern districts on Thursday, following heavy downpour and the rush of hilly waters from the upstream, leaving hundreds of thousands marooned while damaging crops on vast tracts of land.
According to Bangladesh Water Development Board, water from Teesta River was flowing above 12 centimetres of its danger mark at Dowani point of Hatibandha upazila, and Dharla River water was flowing above six centimetres of its danger level at Kalakhawa Ghat point in Lalmonirhat.
Fish, worth nearly Tk100m, from one hundred ponds, including the fish growing centre Dalai Lama beel at Durgaour village of Aditmari upazila, were washed away by flood; said sources from the fishery department.
Aman paddy saplings, vegetables and other crops on a vast tract of land were submerged due to the rise in water level of the Teesta River.
About 100,000 flood-hit people in the district are suffering from a scarcity of food and pure drinking water.
No relief from the government, or even non-government organizations (NGOs), had reached these flood-hit areas till Thursday afternoon.
During a visit to several of the villages in the district, the correspondent found that those affected by flood have been living on dry food, as they cannot cook since flood water had seeped into their houses. One of the affected, Aftan Ali Munshi, 65, of Gobordhon village, Aditmari upazila, said: “We the poor people are reeled have been living sub-human lives since Sunday evening.”
Mahasin Ali, a fish farmer at Durgapur village said fish, worth at least Tk4.5m, had been washed away from Dalai Lama beel on Wednesday night, adding that 110 fishermen are anxiously passing their days.
The Lalmonirhat District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Anowarul Islam said he has sanctioned 96 tonnes of rice as relief material for the flood-hit people, Thursday morning. The food grain will be distributed by local UP chairmen and members, he said, adding that his office had already sent an emergency message to the ministry concerned, seeking 300 tonnes of rice and Tk2m.
Meanwhile, rains and an onrush of water from the hills made all rivers, including Brahmaputra, Dharala, Teesta and Dudhkumar, swell further, worsening the flood situation in seven upazilas in Kurigram, reports BSS.
The flood rendered at least 25,000 people marooned in the low-lying areas of Nageshwri, Bhurungamari, Ulipur, Chilmari, Roumari, and Rajibpur and sadar upazilas.
Sources at the Water Development Board said the Dharala had been flowing 39 centimetres above its danger level. Brahmaputra 28 centimetres above, while the Teesta had been flowing 16 centimetres above its danger level.
Several hundred dwelling houses were damaged while vast tracts of cropland went under water.
With the rise of the water level in the Brahmaputra, the river basin areas of Sundarganj, Sadar, Fhulchhari and Saghata upazila in Gaibandha had been inundated and the standing crops, particularly jute and summer vegetables, went under flood water.
The rise of the river’s water level caused erosion to take a serious turn at many of the places along the western side of the river including Chandipur, Kapasia, Kamarjani, Gidari, Urya, Gozaria, Saghat and Holdia unions of the district, making life worse for those already affected by the erosion, and those who are being threatened by it.
Many erosion and flood victims had taken shelter on the nearby flood control embankment with their belongings, including livestock, and are passing their days miserably for want of food and clean drinking water.
Executive Engineer of WDB, Gaibandha Rezaul Mostafa Asafuddowla said, the officials and the employees had been kept alert and vigilant and are there to protect the embankment from any kind of destruction.