Floods grips Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona prolonging sufferings of people

Flood situations in Sylhet, Sunamganj and
Netrokona districts are expected to prolong as people in the northeast region
of the country are witnessing flood for third time exactly within one month.

“The third wave of devastating flood battered wide swaths of two north-
eastern districts Sylhet, Sunamganj and other parts of Bangladesh as third
round of flood hit northeastern parts in a shorter time meaning this unusual
phenomenon will linger suffering life and livelihood, “hydrologists and
residents told BSS.

FFWC Executive Engineer sardar Udoy Raihan said, ” Northern regions of
Bangladesh and some states of India have witnessed torrential rainfall as
monsoon is set early impacted by the cyclone Rimel result in flood for third
time in Sylhet and Sunamganj”.

He forecasted flood situation will be prolonged as almost entire country
experienced heavy rainfall triggered by active monsoon. Due to massive
amounts of rainfall, major rivers are overflowing submerging vast tract of
land along the rivers, Raihan added.

According to the local administration, thousands of people have been marooned
in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts as flood water submerged much of the two
districts.

Rezaun Rahman, Director General of Department of Disaster Management, told
BSS that, “We are overseeing the flood situation in Sylhet and Sunamganj
round-the-clock . . . initially, we are working with local administration and
other relevant agencies to provide emergency assistances for minimizing
sufferings of the flood-hit people.”

As part of emergency assistances, the department of disaster-management is
distributing cash, dry food and pure drinking water among the flood-affected
people in the north-eastern districts, he added.

Aftermath of the prolonged flooding, relevant ministries including
agriculture and the road transport and bridges ministry will submit a
complete report on damages caused by the flood, the DG added.

Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Sheikh Reshel Hasan said the fresh spell of
flood triggered by heavy rainfall submerged low-lying areas in the district.

“Flood affected people are battling with three cycles of flood as life and
livelihoods are damaged severely in the northeastern district Sylhet,” he
added.

The first spell of flood affected thousands of people in 13 upazilas and
municipalities of Sylhet district in late May and the flash flood prolonged
in the first week of the current month, leaving a large number of people
marooned.

The Sunamganj district administration sources said flood water submerged 11
upazilas and Sunamganj municipality.

Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation Anwaruzzaman Choudhury said, “Volunteer
teams of city corporation are working to extend assistances for flood-hit
people. We have arranged adequate amount of food at shelter centres.”

A devastating flood, triggered by heavy rainfall and onrush water from hilly
regions, have affected 20 lakh people in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts,
according to a statement of UNICEF issued recently.

The statement, signed by Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh,
read among 20 lakh flood affected people in two northeastern regions – Sylhet
and Sunamganj – 7.72 lakh are children.

Water levels at 90 river stations monitored by Flood Forecasting and Warning
Centre (FFWC) have marked rise while 19 stations recorded fall.

Among the 110 monitored river stations, water level at one river station has
remained steady while water at nine stations are flowing above the danger
level, a bulletin issued by the FFWC said here today.

The Surma river at Kanaighat is flowing 118 centimetres(CM) above danger
level while the river (Surma) is flowing 27 cm above danger mark.

According to the latest FFWC bulletin, the Kushiyara at Amalshid, at Sheola,
at Sherpur-Sylhet and at Markuli, the Manu at Moulvibazar, the Someshwari at
Kalmakanda and Bhugai at Nakuagaon are flowing 71cm, 22cm, 07cm, 32 cm, 10cm,
57cm and 02 cm above the danger level respectively.

In the next 48 hours, water level of the Bhahmaputra may rise and cross the
danger level at particular points. In the next 24 hours, flood situation in
the low-lying areas of Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona districts may
deteriorate slightly and it may remain steady for Moulvibazar district.

Significant rainfall was recorded at some stations in different districts
during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today.

A total of 309 mm rainfalls were recorded at Jafflong (Sylhet), 230mm at
Chattak (Sunamganj), 194mm at Moheshkhola (Sunamganj), 175mm at Jariajanjail
(Netrokona), 142mm at Pateswari (Kurigram), 107mm at Chattogram, 105mm at
Nakuagaon (Sherpur), 90 at Bandarban, 77mm at Sylhet, 72mm at Gaibandha, 68mm
at Dalia (Rangpur), 62mm at Sreemongal, 300mm at Sunamganj, 211mm at
Lorergarh (Sunamganj), 183mm at Sherpur-Sylhet(Moulvibazar), 169mm at Ramgarh
(Chottogram), 106mm at Kanaighat(Sylhet), 100mm at Latu(Sylhet), 86mm at
Bandarban, 75mm at Parshuram (Feni), 282mm at Lalakhal (Sylhet), 198mm at
Sylhet, 183mm at Teknaf (Cox’s Bazar), 160mm at Durgapur (Netrokona), 130mm
at Chilmari (Kurigram), 119mm at Kurigram, 106mm at Kaunia, 75 at Noakhali
and 47mm at Jamalpur.

During the last 24 hours, significant rainfalls (mm) were recorded in some
states like West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal, Tripura and Mizoram of
India, the bulletin added. (BSS)