"My house is flooded with water; I somehow brought my wife, Jhorna Begum, and my five children to the school. What should I do with the cattle? I couldn't get them out. They've been standing in the water for three days. I can't even feed them. I don’t know if I can save them from the floodwaters."
This was the tearful confession of farmer Kalimuddin, 55, from the village of South Maizpara in the Dhobaura upazila of Mymensingh.
After heavy rainfall and flash floods on Friday afternoon, water inundated Kalimuddin's house.
As the floodwaters quickly rose, he took his family and a few belongings to seek refuge in the South Maizpara school.
Due to the rising water, he could not evacuate the eight cows and calves from the cowshed.
Since Friday, the livestock have been trapped in the flooded shed. Due to the stranded cattle, Kalimuddin had not been able to leave his home for the school.
He said: "In addition to farming, I raise cattle to support my family. Out of the eight, four cows give milk. We rely on the milk sales for our household expenses. The flood has submerged our Aman rice crop. I am unable to sleep thinking about whether I can save the cattle from the floodwaters."
Kalimuddin is not alone; thousands of farmers in the border regions of Mymensingh, particularly in Haluaghat and Dhobaura upazilas, are facing difficulties due to the sudden floods. The floodwaters have submerged rice fields and fish farms.
Farmer Abul Hashem from the Dhobaura Sadar union said: “Over 40 villages across the seven unions of the upazila have been inundated. Water has entered everyone's homes. The Aman rice crops, fish farms, and roads have all been submerged. Affected families have abandoned their homes for higher ground, schools, and the homes of others. However, they are struggling with their livestock. Many have stopped cooking. They are facing a shortage of clean water and dry food.”
Humayun Kabir, chairman of the South Maizpara union, mentioned that most villages in the Dhobaura upazila have been flooded. The villagers have found themselves in severe trouble due to the unexpected flood. There was no preparation for such a disaster.
The heavy rainfall and the sudden flash floods from India have caused this flood. After the flood, these farmers will face significant challenges in repairing their homes and living with their families, he added.
Humayun has called for government assistance to assess the damage and provide financial aid to the affected individuals.
Dhobaura Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nishat Sharmin said that nearly fifty villages in the seven unions of Dhobaura have been affected by the flood. The extent of the damage will be assessed once the floodwaters recede.
However, she urged everyone to extend a helping hand to the affected families in the meantime.
Heavy rainfall coupled with flash floods from India resulted in flooding in the Haluaghat and Dhobaura upazilas of Mymensingh by Friday afternoon.
Subsequently, the floodwaters rose, inundating approximately 80 villages across the two upazilas, leaving around 150,000 people stranded.
