Major rivers swell to flood new areas across Bangladesh

Most of the major rivers swelled in the last 24 hours until Friday evening inundating fresh areas across Bangladesh.

News Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 29 August 2014, 08:32 PM
Updated : 29 August 2014, 09:42 PM

Bangladesh Water Development Board said water at 20 points of 15 major rivers was flowing above the danger level at 6:15pm.

The board in a flood forecast said water in the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Padma and the rivers around capital Dhaka -- Buriganga, Balu and Turag -- and Tongi canal might rise in the next 72 hours.

It said water level in Turag might rise beyond the danger level at Mirpur point, flooding low-lying areas there.

According to the forecast, flood situation in Shariatpur, Madaripur, Munshiganj, Rajbarhi and Faridpur might worsen but the same in Bogra, Sirajganj, Jamalpur and Tangail may remain unchanged.

It said water in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Netrakona, Sunamganj and Sylhet might recede.

Local administration said more than 100 unions went underwater in the last 24 hours.

Tens of thousands of people have so far been marooned due to flood, which also damaged crops, communications infrastructures, educational institutions and other establishments.

Local people said though government relief materials reached the flood-hit areas, they were insufficient.

Bdnews24.com correspondents sent despatches on the situation in their districts.

Munshiganj
The increase in Padma water has aggravated erosion in Louhajang and Tongibarhi under Munshiganj.
Local administration shut a government primary school amid the erosion.
Houses of 49 families have been washed away by the river while those of 823 others have been affected partially.
District Deputy Commissioner Saiful Islam Badal said a list of affected families would be prepared for providing government assistance.
He said the government allocated 100 tonnes of rice and Tk 230,000 in cash for the affected people.

Sirajganj
The flood situation in Sirajganj has worsened with the increase of water level in the Jamuna.
District Water Development Board Executive Engineer Babul Chandra Shil said Padma was flowing 41cm above the danger level on Friday morning.
He said water increased by 16cm in the river in the last 24 hours.
Shil said strong currents in the Brahmaputra threatened the flood control embankment.
Kazipur Upazila Executive Officer Shafiul Islam said flood washed away an embankment in Meghai area inundating fresh areas in the Upazila.
He said at least 600 families were marooned.

Bogra
Over 50 villages under Bogra’s Sariakandi and Dhunot Upazilas have been inundated after the Jamuna flood control embankment was breached.
Sariakandi MP Abdul Mannan, disaster management and relief ministry Joint Secretary Goutam Kumar Bhattacharya, Rajshahi Deputy Commissioner Helaluddin Ahmed and other officials visited the area.
According to BWDB, water in the Jamuna was flowing 97cm above the danger level on Friday morning.
Crops on several hundred hectares of land in the area have been deluged.

Gaibandha
Flood situation in Gaibandha has worsened with the rise in water levels in the Ghaghot, Brahmaputra and Karatoa rivers.
The district’s Water Development Board Executive Engineer Abdul Awal said the Ghaghot and Brahmaputra were flowing 64cm and 25cm above the danger levels respectively.
Water in the Teesta also neared the danger level.
WAPDA embankment in east part of Gaibandha town developed crack on Friday snapping communications between the town and Gidari.
District Water Development Board officials said they were working to protect the embankment.

Kurigram
New areas in Kurigram district are going under water every day with a vast tract of land remaining under water for over two weeks.
District Water Development Board Executive Engineer Abu Taher told bdnews24.com overall flood situation worsened in the district in the last 24 hours.
He said Brahmaputra and Dharala were flowing above the danger level.
District administration held an emergency meeting on Friday on the flood situation.
Civil Surgeon Joynal Abedin Jillur said 39 people were admitted to different hospitals in the district with diarrhoea and pneumonia in the last 24 hours.
He said 85 medical teams were working in the district.
Department of Agriculture Extension Prodip Kumar Mandal said crops on around 32,000 hectares of land went under water.