1 lakh people marooned in Kishoreganj flood

More than one lakh people of 62 unions under nine upazilas of Kishoreganj have become marooned as flood water increased at all rivers in the district.

A total of 12,748 families in the district have been affected due to the flood created by the upstream water of India's Cherrapunji via Habiganj.

According to the Water Development Board, the water of the Brahmaputra River was flowing 11.52 centimetres above the danger mark while water in the Meghna River near Bhairab was flowing 5.80 centimetres above the danger mark.

The people of the three haor upazilas – Austagram, Itna, and Mithamain are the worst sufferers of the flood.

Villagers of Tarail, Nikli, Karimganj, Bajitpur, and Bhairab have also been affected by the sudden flood water.

According to the district administration, a total of 507 square kilometres of the district went under flood water.

Eight unions of Austagram, seven of Mithamain, eight of Karimganj, six of Nikli, four of Katiadi, eight of Bajitpur, and five unions of Bhairab were under flood water.

Houses, schools, colleges, shrines, and haat-bazaars of these upazilas have been inundated by the flood water.

The electricity supply of 20 villages in three upazilas of the district has been cut off considering the safety of the people.

District administration has opened 154 shelters in 62 unions where 12,748 people and 2,047 cattle have already been taken.

Many flood-affected people have taken shelter in safer places and many sheltered at government educational institutions.

Local administrations of these upazilas have started to distribute relief materials among the flood victims.

Nafisa Akter, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Itna, said most of the areas of the upazila have been inundated and there is a crisis of food and pure drinking water.

A total of 2,000 packets of dry foods, 144 metric tonnes of rice, and Tk4.80 lakh cash have been distributed among the flood-affected people in the upazila, she added.

Nikli UNO Md Abu Hasan said if the downpour continues in Sylhet and Sunamganj, the maximum areas of Nikli will be inundated.

Deputy Commissioner Md Shamim Alam said he has already visited flood-affected haor areas to observe the flood situation.

All UNOs have been instructed to distribute relief materials among the flood victims in the inundated villages and shelters, he added.