With water levels of major rivers rising, the flood situation in the country has worsened further in Jamalpur, Naogon, Gaibandha, Rangpur and Faridpur.
The flood situation in Jamalpur has slightly deteriorated as the water level of the Jamuna River has increased, affecting 25 unions in four upazilas.
According to the Water Development Board, the water level of the Jamuna River was above danger level at Bahadurabad ghat point at noon yesterday.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Office sources said a total of 6,295 families in nine unions under Islampur upazila, seven unions under Dewanganj upazila, six unions under Bakshiganj upazila and three unions under Sarishabari upazila have been affected by flooding.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources said standing crops on 1,500 hectares of land have been inundated by floodwaters. This includes 20 hectares of Aus crops, 1,220 hectares of T Aman crops and 130 hectares of vegetables, they added.
According to District Primary Education Office sources, classes of 83 primary schools in the district were suspended from today as the floodwater entered the schools.
On the other hand, District Education office sources said eight high schools and 10 madrasas in Islampur and Dewanganj upazila were shut down as the institutions went under water.
District Relief and Rehabilitation officer Abul Manjur M Abdul Hai said the Disaster Management Department allocated 55 tonnes of rice for distribution among flood-affected victims in Dewanganj and Islampur upazilas.
In Faridpur, the Padma’s waters increased by 42cm in the last 24 hours, said WDB sources.
Thousands of people have been marooned at Charbhadrasan, Sadarpur, and Alfadanga upazilas.
The WDB sources said new areas might be flooded soon, as the river was rising till yesterday evening.
Due to the rise in water levels, Phulbari, Sutkigacha, Bhortatulia, and Hatkalupara embankments have collapsed, submerging a vast area at Atrai uapzila in Naogaon.
The river was flowing 50cm above the danger level, Atrai Upazila Executive Officer Monirul Islam said.
Road communication between Atrai and Naogoan district town has remained suspended since yesterday morning. Flood-affected people took shelter at different schools.
Julekha Begum, a resident of Mirapur village, said as floodwaters had intruded into her house, she along with her family members took shelter on a road.
Abdul Malek, a resident of Mirzapur village, said: “All of my standing crops have been inundated by floodwaters. What will happen to me?”
In Gaibandha, academic activities at 55 schools are still suspended due to the flood. Nearly 85,000 people have been marooned for the last five days, said local sources.
In Rangpur, standing crops on 97,117 hectares of land have so far been submerged under floodwaters in five districts under Rangpur Agriculture Region, sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension have said.
Rangpur Regional Additional Director of the Department of the DAE Mohammad Mohsin said assessment of the inundated crops was continuing, and the amount of crop damage and loss would be known after the waters receded.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) yesterday forecasted a deteriorating flood situation, as major rivers continue swelling.
The FFWC found water levels at 52 points across the country have risen in the past 24 hours, while water levels have receded at 33 points, and at 15 points waters are flowing above danger levels, says a FFWC bulletin.
The Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Ganges-Padma river systems are showing rising water levels, a trend that is likely to continue for the next 72 hours while the Surma-Kushiyara is expected to fall in the next 48 hours.
