Even though waters in Monu and Dholai rivers are flowing under the danger level, a number of low-lying and new areas adjacent to the rivers remain flooded in Moulvibazar, marooning and severely affecting thousands of people.
Ranendra Shankar Chakrabarti, the executive engineer of Moulvibazar Water Development Board, said the situation was improving gradually.
Since the water flow from upstream and rainfall have declined, the risk of damage to the protection embankments in Manu, Dholai and Kushiara rivers also decreased, he said.
“The rivers are very curvy and there are bends in the rivers in border areas. The capacity of these rivers has decreased to 60% because of sedimentation. So when there is heavy water flow from upstream, it creates flooding.”
Meanwhile the flood situation in Fenchuganj upazila of Sylhet has deteriorated further, leaving 30,000 people of 25 villages in five unions marooned.
The Kushiara River was flowing 118 cm above the danger level at Fenchuganj Bazar on Wednesday, said sources at the local Water Development Board office.
At least 30,000 people remained marooned.
Dire conditions
The residents of the flood-affected areas in Moulvibazar are suffering from acute shortage of pure drinking water and sanitation crisis. Locals have also become afraid of outbreaks of waterborne diseases as the affected people have been using floodwater for daily uses and defecating in open places.
During visits to different affected areas, this correspondent saw that many households are still under floodwater and many people have taken refuge in different shelter centres and rooftops of buildings.
Some people have also taken shelter on different embankments and are living in dire conditions – without any source of clean drinking water and necessary hygienic facilities. There is an acute crisis of foods although relief distribution from government and non-government initiative is underway, locals said.
People who have lost their homes in the flood are living in makeshift shelters on the town protection dam in Barahat Dhaka Tribune
Babli Begum, who has taken refuge on the Barahat embankment along with around 400 families, said: “I have managed to come here with my mother and two children our village was suddenly flooded. My house is still under waist-deep water. We have nothing here with us - no food, clothes, money or other daily essentials.”
“I am the lone income source of my family. I have no money since I cannot work. I do not know how I will provide if I lose my sewing machine,” she said.
Only few days ago, these people were preparing to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr with much festivity, but the sudden flood has changed everything, taking away their homes, cattle and crops.
The floodwater has ravaged many villages and fields of Aush paddy and other vegetables, locals said, destroying their livelihood.
Ismail Ali said their home went underwater after the Baroikona embankment of Monu River collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday.
“The embankment was already vulnerable with numerous rat holes and foxholes on it. But it gave in at the end when it could not take the enormous pressure of the floodwater.”
At the Barahat town protection dyke, around 50-60 men, women and children had crowded this reporter seeking aid.
One of them, Saleha Begum said: “If we had not received 5kgs of rice on Monday, we would have had to starve. Lack of toilet and drinking water is the major problem now. However, a local female politician had one tube-well installed here and that is now the only source of drinking water of 400 families.
“We have to wait in a long queue to get water from the morning. The women are suffering mostly for the lack of toilets while children from different diseases.”
The reservoirs of pure drinking water in every household of Moulvibazar town provided by the municipality are currently under several feet of water. The reserve system of tube-well water is also out of order as there is no power supply in most of the flood affected urban and rural areas, leading to massive public suffering.
“There was no Eid for us. We only managed to save our lives,” said Khaleda Begum.
The flood-hit people have alleged that they are not getting enough aid and relief materials from the government.
However, some non-government and volunteer organizations along with people from home and abroad have come forward with aid – providing cooked food, water purifying pills, oral saline, candles, matchboxes and dry food to the affected helpless people.
Moulvibazar Civil Surgeon Dr Abu Jaher told the Dhaka Tribune that 74 medical teams were working to provide medical support to the flood victims across the district.
“The teams have been sent everywhere. They are providing water purifying pills, oral saline and primary treatment including essential medicine,” he said.
The civil surgeon also advised people to stay safe from water borne diseases.
According to Moulvibazar district administration, some 50 shelter centres have been opened and 5,390 people rescued and sent to the centres. The military has sent four teams to work in the flood-hit areas.
The government has allotted Tk9.4 lakh and 743 metric tons of rice for the flood affected people.