Flood situation worsens in Rangpur, Naogaon, Gaibandha

Advisory: With Photo

Dhaka, Oct 8 (BDNEWS) – Flood situation in the northern districts including Rangpur, Naogaon, Gaibandha and Kurigram has worsened rendering many people homeless.

BDNEWS Rangpur correspondent reports: three lakh people in Rangpur are now passing their days in utter misery. Jamuneshwari, Akhira and Karotoa have experienced marked rise worsening the flood situation at Pirganj.

Flood situation, however, has remained unchanged at Mithapukur, Badarganj and Taraganj. The district administration has allocated eights tons of rice and Tk 15,000 for the flood affected areas.

An on-the-spot visit reveals one lakh people were rendered homeless, as the earthen houses had collapsed at Badarganj and Mithapukur upazilas.

People at Tukuria, Chatra, Gilabari, Kumedpur, Kamilpur, Ramnathpur, Krishnapur, Madankhali unions Pirganj are facing acute crisis of food and pure drinking water.

Flood-hit people have taken shelter at the premises of schools, colleges, and union parishads. Flood has washed away many a puja mandaps at Pirganj.

Very scanty amount of relief was distributed among the marooned people by the government. Madankhali Union Parishad chairman at his own initiative distributed cash taka, sari, lungi and dry food among the victims.

Thousands of thatched houses have collapsed in many places of Mithapukur, Pirganj and Badarganj forcing people to live under the open sky starved and half-fed.

Vegetables and standing crops of these areas have been massively damaged. At least seven persons have died so far from snake biting and drowning.

An official of the Department of Agricultural Extension said crops of about 70 thousand acres of land had gone under water.

If the water recedes 25 percent of the crops that had gone under water would be spoilt but production of high lands would be better, he added.

No medical teams have reportedly so far visited the flood-hit areas resulting in waterborne diseases and other kinds of stomachaches due to having contaminated water.

BDNEWS Naogaon correspondent adds: the flood situation in the district has further worsened. Rajakpur, Bolalia, Sahapur, Dogachhi, Chuntipur, Mothermollah and Chakowji of the eastern part of the district have been inundated due to fresh breaches in the flood protection embankment at Goshpara, Rambhadrapur and Tulshiganga.

Besides heavy onrush of water from the upstream has submerged four unions of Porsha upazila.

A total 10 lakh people of Naogaon has become marooned so far including Raninagar, Atrai, Badalgachhi, Patnitala, Dhamurhat, Mohadebpur, Niamatpur, Manda and 84 unions of Sadar Upazila. About over one lakh hectares of land have gone under flood water.

Flood affected areas in the districts have been experiencing acute crisis of food. A total of 72 metric tons of rice and cash TK 9 lakh have been distributed among the flood victims so far to face the onslaught of flood, which is very scanty compared to that of the required amount.

BDNEWS Gaibandha correspondent reports: vehicular movement on the Gaibandha-Dinajpur route has come to a halt due to sudden rise in the water levels of six rivers in the district developing cracks in the town protection embankment.

Besides, about 75 thousand people of 45 unions in the district has become marooned and winter crops and aman worth Tk 50 crore have been damaged.

Incessant rainfall and onrush of water from the upstream over the past two weeks have swelled the water of Brahmaputra, Teesta, Ghagot, Karotoa, Bangali and Manash rivers. As a result 75 thousand people of 45 unions have been marooned.

Meanwhile, due to the rise in the water level of Karotoa river the Gaibandha-Dinajpur route has plunged into knee-deep water disrupting the vehicular movement.

BDNEWS Kurigram correspondent adds: though flood situation in the district has improved river erosion has taken a serious turn. Over hundred families have been rendered homeless due to erosion of Jinjiram River.

BDNEWS/2020 hrs