Flood situation in Moulvibazar worsens as new areas go underwater

Nearly 300,000 people are now marooned as flood situation in Moulvibazar’s haor region has deteriorated with new areas go under water following heavy rains and onrush of water from the upstream Indian state of Assam.

Moulvibazar Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 16 July 2017, 02:54 PM
Updated : 16 July 2017, 02:54 PM

The district’s Deputy Commissioner Tofayel Islam told bdnews24.com that the condition worsened since Saturday afternoon after water levels rose in Kushiara River, Hakaluki Haor and Kauadighi Haor.

Nearly 300,000 people are still trapped in the flood-ravaged areas while more than 100 schools are closed.

Islam said the number of flood-affected people would increase as fresh areas were going under water.

River Kushiara was flowing 14cm above the danger level at Sherpur point and 69cm at Sheola point on Sunday morning, said Bijoy Indra Shankar Chakrabarty, the Executive Engineer at Moulvibazar Water Development Board.

He said the water level at Kauadighi’s Kashimpur area at Rajnagar Upazila was at 20cm above the danger level and 30cm at Buri Kiari area of Hakaluki.

The district’s Assistant Primary Education Officer Kishal Chakrabarty said 46 schools were closed due to flood at Baralekha, 40 at Kulaura, 15 at Juri, 14 at Rajnagar and four at Moulvibazar Sadar.

"However, fifteen schools are closed because those are being used as shelters for the flood-affected people," he added.

Local agricultural extension department’s Deputy Director Md Shahjahan said water from Hakaluki and Kauadighi haors have led to the damage of Aman paddy and seedbed in more than 2,600 hectors of land.

“The flood had earlier destroyed the Boro paddy, and now Aman is affected. The water has also damaged vegetables grown in over 100 hectors of land.”