Habiganj rivers flowing above danger level, dam breach floods villages

All the rivers of Habiganj, including Khowai, Kushiyara and Kalni-Kushiyara, are flowing above the danger levels, flooding villages in the northeastern district.

Parts of the Khowai River dam collapsed in Jalalabad village of the Sadar Upazila on Wednesday.

Around a dozen villages of Nabiganj Upazila were inundated after Kushiyara River water started overflowing the dam.

Many areas of Habiganj city were also submerged after incessant rain.

Residents of the Water Development Board, Circuit House, Anantapur, Mahmudabad, Shyamoli, Chowdhury Bazar and many other areas were stranded by floodwater.

They fear the situation will worsen as the rain continues.

Shamim Hasnain Mahmud, executive engineer of the Habiganj Water Development Board, said the water of the rivers in the district was rising because of mountain runoff from India.

The Khowai was flowing 131cm above the danger level at Chunarughat point at 9am, 21cm above the level at Shayestaganj, and 75cm above it at Masulia.

The Kushiyara’s water level was 12cm above the danger level at Sherpur and 21cm above it at Markuli, while Kalni-Kushiyara was 31cm above that level in Ajmiriganj.

The district recorded 115mm rainfall on Tuesday and the rain continued on Wednesday.

“A huge amount of water is coming from India as well. We’ve stored 4,000 geobags and 12,000 synthetic bags to save the dams,” Shamim said.