Flood situation worsens

Flood situation in the northern districts deteriorated while floodwater continued to inundate fresh areas in new districts in the middle and eastern parts of the country on Monday.
The flood, caused by heavy rainfall and on-rush of water from India, submerged croplands and marooned several lakh people in Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Bogra, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Sunamganj, Manikganj and Faridpur, officials have said.
Duty officer and assistant engineer at Flood Forecast Warning Centre Ripan Karmaker told New Age that the flood situation deteriorated as fresh areas in three districts — Shariatpur, Natore and Brahmanbria — were inundated on the day.
According to the warning centre report, the River Brahmaputra was flowing 69 cm above the danger level at Chilmari point while the River Dharla was flowing 95 cm over the red mark
at bridge point in the morning on the day.
Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and Surma-Kushiyara river systems were in rising trend while the Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Ganges-Padma river systems would likely continue to rise in the next 48 hours.
Flood situation in some parts of low lands adjacent to the Rivers Brahmaputra and Jamuna at Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogra, Serajganj, Natore, the Rivers Ganges-Padma at Rajbari, Manikganj, Munshiganj and Shariatpur and the Rivers Surma-Kushiyara in Sylhet and Sunamganj would likely continue to deteriorate in the next 48 hours, the report forecast.
The Jamuna at Aricha and the Padma at Bhagyakulmay are likely to cross their respective danger level within the next 24 hours.
New Age correspondent in Bogra reported that at least 60,000 people of 70 villages under Kajla, Kornibari, Chaluabari, Bohail, Hatsherpur, Kutubpur, Kamalpur, Chandanbaisha and Sariakandi sadar unions were affected by floodwater.
Agricultural office said that 2,988 hectares of croplands had gone under water while 51 educational institutions were affected by floodwater.
New Age reporter in Jamalpur reported that deterioration in flood situation continued in 15 unions of four upazilas of the district until Monday afternoon.
Six unions under Islampur, four under Dewanganj, four under Madarganj and one under Melandah upazila were affected.
Around 50,000 people of 50 villages of the flood-hit unions were marooned, said sources at local administrations and governments.
Around 365 hectares of croplands including seed-beds, vegetable fields and banana orchards at Islampur and Dewanganj upazilas were inundated, said official.
Classes at 87 government primary schools in the district were suspended as flood-water entered the institutions, said Abdul Alim, district primary education officer.
Classrooms of 47 primary schools at Islampur, 24 at Madarganj and 16 at Dewanganj upazila went under water, said the DPEO.
Due to the flood, classes at 17 high schools and madrassahs at Islampur and Dewanganj upazila were also suspended, said Abu Sayed, head assistant of district education office.
New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat reported that the River Teesta at Kaliganj Upazila caused water-stagnation in new areas. People have already shifted their belongings to safer places.
The river erosion prevention spur at Bairati under Tushbhander, Uttar Bhotmari under Bhotmari union of Kaliganj, Hatibandha and Mogolhat unions of Lalmonirhat sadar collapsed in the morning.
New Age correspondent in Kurigram reported that the overall flood situation worsened in the district, leaving more than two lakh people marooned.
The poor flood victims have no work and no food. Only 192 tonnes of rice and Tk 8.75 lakh have been allocated.
A footbridge on Kaliganj-Matherganj road under Nageshwari upazila collapsed Sunday night and the Monnear bridge on Bhitarband-Kaliganj road is about to crumble down because of strong current of flood water, local people said.
A total of six unions of Chilmari upazila were affected by flood. No relief reached the area as yet.
Chilmari upazila nirbahi officer Rafikul Islam said 30 tonnes of rice and Tk 50,000 were received, which would be distributed after getting the list of affected people.
Kuigram district relief and rehabilitation officer Abdul Mottaleb Molla said as per the government statistics about 500 villages of 53 unions were flooded and 765 square kilometre area went under water.
Some 62,842 families were affected by the flood and river erosion, 372 kilometre road were damaged. Of them 27 km pucca road and 345 km non-pucca road, 98 educational and religious institutions were damaged. Twenty-tow kilometre embankment and 11 bridges and culverts were damaged. Some 15 houses were washed away. According to the DAE sources, standing crops on 1,000 hectares of 18000 farmers were inundated.
New Age correspondent in Munshiganj reported that due to heavy current in the Padma service of six ferries on Shimulia-Kewrakandi route remained suspended.