ZCZC
BSS-34
FLOOD-SITUATION-COUNTRY-2 LAST DHAKA
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said major rivers were still flowing above their danger marks (DMs) at nine points in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura and Sirajganj districts at 9 am today.
“The flood situation marked improvement in Nilphamari and adjoining Lalmonirhat districts,” Executive Engineer of the Teesta Barrage Project (TBP) Division of BWDB M Rabiul Islam said, adding that the improvement is likely to continue in the next 24 hours.
Officials of district administrations said around four lakh people are still remaining affected in seven flood-hit northern districts of Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Bogura, Jamalpur and Sirajganj in the basin.
Talking to BSS this afternoon, BWDB officials said all flood control embankments and structures are remaining safe in the flood-affected seven northern districts.
However, sporadic incidents of riverbank erosion have been reported from Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Jamalpur and Bogura districts due to stronger water current following recession of floodwater with the falling water levels.
Executive Engineer of BWDB Mokhlesur Rahman for Gaibandha said riverbank protection works are continuing in full swing at four points and this work will begin at 12 other points soon alongside the major rivers in the district.
Divisional Commissioner KM Tariqul Islam said massive relief activities are being conducted among flood-hit people to mitigate their sufferings in Rangpur division where the flood situation continues to show an improving trend.
In Tangail, the river Jamuna was flowing 34cm above its DM and Dhaleshwari 90cm above DM at Nagarpur and it resulted overflow of Dhaleshwari waters crossing embankments at Ghonapara point and low-lying areas were inundated, hundreds of people marooned, huge crops damaged and people are in deep trouble with their livestock and crops.
Our Jamalpur correspondent reports: The overall flood situation of the district remained steady despite continuous fall of the water levels in river Jamuna.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office said crops on 13,343 hectares of land in the district has been submerged by the flood water.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Md Nayeb Ali said water level of Jamuna river is receding but it has swelled up in old Brahmaputra. As a result, fresh areas in Jamalpur sadar upazila have been inundated affecting about 10 thousand people.
“Flood water affected over three lakh 96 thousand 744 people in 351 villages under 49 unions in all the seven upazilas of the district,” he said, adding that a total of 1,212 families comprising 6,094 people took shelter at 31 flood shelters here.
Nayeb Ali said 584 tonnes of rice and Taka 13.50 lakh in cash were allocated for distribution among the flood victims.
The flood also damaged 369 houses completely and 6,393 partially. Beside 96 kilometer earthen road, 17-km carpeted road, three km dam, 100 educational institutions and 39 religious institutes have been damaged partially during the flood.
In Thakurgaon, low-lying areas were inundated while roads and crops damaged due to rise of water levels in the Tangan river caused by onrush of water from upstream rivers and heavy downpours in the last three days.
Worry grips the people living in either side of the river and low-lying areas as flood water may damage their crops and houses and livestock.
In Dohar upazila in Dhaka district, Padma waters flooded low-lying areas near Nayabari Dhoair Bazar overflowing the embankment while the people fear that Dhoair Bazar and its adjoining areas will go under the Padma if steps are not taken immediately.
BSS/Asg/MKD/GA/1859 hrs