Sylhet's flood situation is showing signs of improvement as water levels in the flood-hit areas of the city have started receding since Sunday.
The Surma River at Sylhet point has dropped to 1cm below the danger level. The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) indicated that if heavy rains do not resume, water levels will continue to decrease.
According to BWDB data, while the water level of the Surma River has decreased at Sylhet point, it remains 70cm above the danger level at Kanaighat point. The Kushiyara River at Amalsid is flowing 129cm above the danger level but is 11cm below Sheola Point.
Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Sheikh Russel Hasan said that the flood situation is improving slightly due to the reduced rainfall. A total of 204 people returned home from shelters, but 1,806 people are still taking refuge in 550 shelters across Sylhet metropolis and 13 upazilas. Among them, 500 are staying in shelters within the city corporation area. A union-based medical team has been formed to address the emerging situation, and both dry and cooked food are being distributed to those affected.
Assistant Meteorologist Shah Mohammad Sajib Hossain of Sylhet Meteorological Office noted that Sylhet received 7.4mm of rain in the last 24 hours.
Sunil Singh, a 50-year-old resident of the Machimpur area, said that the water started receding on Sunday afternoon.
He mentioned that since Friday evening, more than 50 people in his neighbourhood had been waterlogged due to the rising water levels.
Flood situation improving in Sylhet as rain easesSylhet City Corporation (SCC) Public Relations Officer Sajlu Laskar said that several wards in the city corporation area experienced flooding. Under the guidance of SCC Mayor Md Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, various activities have been undertaken to control the situation. Acting mayor Makhlishur Rahman Kamran and other officials visited the flood-affected areas and were active in relief efforts.
A dam constructed with sandbags has been built to protect the electricity substations on the banks of the Surma River. This was done with the help of local councillors of Ward No. 25 and 28, Takbirul Islam Pintu and Raihan Ahmad.
Hundreds of families have taken shelter in two locations in Ward No. 15 – Kishori Mohan Government Primary School and a nearby five-storey vacant building.
They are receiving cooked food, and a medical team from the Health Wing of SCC is providing health check-ups. Additionally, the city corporation has distributed dry food, drinking water, water purification tablets, saline, and candles to flood-affected wards, including the two shelters.
Sajlu Laskar said: “According to local councillors and our data, approximately 4,000 families are affected by the floods. Cooked food is still being distributed at the shelters today, and there is a sufficient stock of dry food.”
Rain began in Sylhet early on May 27 due to the impact of Cyclone Remal, varying from moderate to drizzling, with strong winds. Two days later, heavy rains and sudden downpours from upstream caused flooding in seven upazilas of Sylhet, with water inundating several suburban areas and low-lying areas near Surma River.
