Floods worsen in Bangladesh’s northeastern Sylhet region; landslides kill 10

The situation is feared to deteriorate further over the next two to three days

Bangladesh has seen a day of floods worsening in the northeast, marooning more than 825,000 in Sylhet district only, while the north is under threat of inundation, and the southeastern coastal district of Cox’s Bazar has experienced deadly landslides.

Relentless heavy rains and mountain runoff from India are expected to continue, fuelling fears of the situation deteriorating further over the next two to three days.

Private organisations and individuals are conducting relief activities along with the government in the affected areas.

The residents of the flood-hit areas say rising floodwater is making their woes, including for food, more and more unbearable.

With many roads submerged, it has become difficult for families to take the sick to hospitals, some of which have also been inundated.

The crisis over a lack of drinking water and place to stay is deepening, forcing many to take shelter at flood centres.

In Cox’s Bazar, heavy rains triggered landslides at Rohingya camps, burying alive at least 10 people, including eight refugees.

The rains prompted the Bangladesh Meteorological Department to issue a landslide warning for Sylhet and Chattogram.

The Chattogram City Corporation also asked the residents of hillside houses to evacuate as part of efforts to avoid casualties.

Still, a mild heatwave was sweeping over five southwestern districts. Pabna, Jashore, and Chuadanga recorded the highest temperature of 36.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

The BMD forecasts that increasing rainfall may gradually ease the heatwave.

Strong wind warnings have also led to a cautionary signal No. 3 for coastal seaports, including at Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Payra, and Mongla. Fishing boats and trawlers are advised to stay close to the shore and exercise caution.

FLOOD FORECASTING

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre under the Water Development Board said in its daily river situation and forecast at a glance:

• The Brahmaputra-Jamuna River is in rising trend and may continuously rise for the next

72 hours with a chance of touching the Warning Level at some points.

• The Ganges-Padma rivers are in a rising trend, which may continue in the next 48 hours.

• Except Surma, all the major rivers in the northeastern region of the country are in a rising

trend.

• According to the information from meteorological organizations, heavy to very heavy

rainfall is expected over the North-eastern, Northern and adjoining upstream parts of the

country in the next 24 to 48 hours.

• All the major rivers in the North-Eastern region of the country may rise in the next 24

hours. As a result, some low-lying areas along the river of Netrokona districts and ongoing flood situation in the Sylhet and Sunamganj districts may deteriorate. The ongoing flood

situation in the Monu-Khowai river-connected low-lying areas of Moulvibazar and Habiganj

districts may remain steady

• In the next 24 to 48 hours, the Dudhkumar, the Teesta and the Dharala rivers in the Northern region of the country may rise and may experience a short-term flood situation in the low-lying

areas of the Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts.

SITUATION DIRE IN SYLHET

Sylhet has been the worst affected district in the past few days, with the water levels of the three major rivers rising continuously.

The number of affected people jumped past 825,000 on Wednesday, while a death was reported from drowning.

The situation prompted State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Mohibbur Rahman, an MP from Patuakhali, to visit Sylhet.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was closely monitoring the situation and taking note of the relief work.

The ministry allocated Tk 1 million cash, 100 tonnes of rice and 2,000 packets of dry food as initial aid.

“Relief distribution will continue until the water recedes,” Mohibbur said.

Nearly 20,000 people took shelter in the 656 flood centres of the district.

In Zakiganj, a 55-year-old pickup driver drowned while fishing in the floodwater by using a raft, police said.

TAKING A TURN FOR THE WORSE

The flood situation is worsening in most other parts of the northeast, and some districts in the north.

All the rivers of Habiganj, including Khowai, Kushiyara and Kalni-Kushiyara, were 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.

Flood situation worsened in Moulvibazar as well after the water of the Dhalai River caused the collapse of a dam at three places in Kamalganj.

The water entered the locality at such a speed that many people did not even get time to remove the goods from their houses.

Executive Engineer of Moulvibazar Water Development Board Javed Iqbal said that the water of the Juri River in the district was flowing 208 cm above the danger line. The Manu River water was 35 cm above the line and Kushiyara overflew by 21 cm.

The lower areas of 65 villages of eight unions under Kalmakanda Upazila of Netrokona have been flooded as water has started entering the localities of Sadar and Barhatta Upazilas.

At least 150 families were trapped in water in Kalmakanda. Some of them have moved to shelters.

With the rise of water, erosion has started in several areas of the Teesta basin at Kaunia, Pirgachha and Gangachhara Upazilas of Rangpur district.

Many of the families affected by the erosion have been forced to relocate. There were reports of water seeping around houses in several Char areas.

At Teesta barrage point in Lalmonirhat, the river water has come close to the flood limit. The authorities have opened 44 sluices of the barrage to control the water.

As the water level of Teesta and Saniajan rivers has risen, the low-lying areas along the banks of five Upazilas, river islands and roads have been submerged. About 700 families have become waterlogged.