Flood situation worsens in Tangail, banks of Jamuna breached in Bogura

The flood situation in Tangail is further deteriorating as the water level of all the rivers in the district is constantly rising. The waters of five rivers of the district are flowing over the danger line. In the meantime, 11 upazilas have been flooded, and riverside char (low-lying area) villages are being flooded anew. There is a shortage of clean water and relief material in flood-affected areas.

In Bogura, some more areas on the banks of the Jamuna have been newly flooded. People concerned said the situation has arisen due to the increase in the water level of the Karatoya and the Bangali rivers.

The following reports have been sent by our bureaus and correspondents.

Two lakh people stranded in Tangail

The floods have affected about four lakh people in the district, among whom about 2.5 lakh have been stranded. Protection embankments in different areas are at risk of collapsing. The second phase of floods has inundated more than 9,000 hectares of cropland.

On Sunday morning, the approach road of the bridge over the Louhjong river in Gala union of Sadar upazila collapsed due to rising water levels of various rivers, and direct communication of some unions with Tangail town was cut off.

According to the District Water Development Board, the water level of the Dhaleshwari River has increased by five centimetres in the last 24 hours and is flowing at 160 centimetres above danger level. The water level of the Jamuna has increased by five cm, and is now 88 cm above the danger level.

The water of the Jhenai river has increased by four cm, and is now flowing 101 cm above the danger line. And, the water level of the Bangshai is flowing 88 cm above the danger line after its water level increased by 75 cm.

According to the district relief and rehabilitation office, 11 out of 12 upazilas in the district have been flooded. 3,98,081 people have been affected by the floods. Besides, 761 houses have been completely washed away by the river and another 27,895 houses have been partially damaged.

According to the district agriculture department, 3,839 hectares of cropland in Tangail were damaged in the first phase of the floods and 27,233 people were affected. Until Saturday, 9,733 hectares of cropland, including sown Aman, transplanted Aman (seedbed), Aus, vegetables, lemon, have been inundated in the second phase of floods.

New areas on the banks of the Jamuna in Bogura are flooded

Although the water level of the Jamuna River has stabilised at 119 cm above the danger level, the water level of the Bangali and Karatoya rivers has risen further. As a result, more areas on the right bank of the Jamuna in Bogura have been newly flooded.

Mahbubur Rahman, the executive engineer of the Bogura Water Development Board, said the embankment on the right bank of the Jamuna from Sonatala to Dhunat is still secure. However, in some areas, water is leaking to the west of the river, but those places are being repaired quickly.

District relief and rehabilitation officer Azahar Ali Mall said more than 1,33,000 people have been affected by the floods in Bogura. Many of the victims have taken refuge in high places. Seventy shelters have been set up. In addition to food items, cash assistance has already been provided to the victims.

Visiting various areas in Sariakandi, it is seen that many people have taken shelter on flood control embankments as well as closed educational institutions as their houses were submerged in the floods.

Flood situation in Kurigram remains unchanged

The second phase of the flood started on July 11, a few days after the first flood. About three lakh people in 56 unions of nine upazilas of Kurigram have been living in waterlogged conditions for about three weeks due to the floods.

The flood situation in Kurigram has remained unchanged as the waters of the Dharla, Dudhkumar and Brahmaputra rivers are still high. The water level of the rivers is rising and falling slowly. There is no good news for these people who live with water-mud and river erosion.

Sources at the local water development board said heavy rain and rising tides would continue, and the water level will increase in the next few days, making the flood situation even worse. It is not possible to get rid of waterlogging and suffering before Eid-ul-Azha, they added.

Ariful Islam, the executive engineer of the Kurigram Water Development Board, said the floods were prolonging. If the water level continues to rise as predicted, the water level in all the river points of the district may exceed one meter above danger level. As a result, flood-affected people will not be getting any immediate relief from their misery. Especially in the Brahmaputra basin, the flood situation may continue even after the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha.