Floods grips Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona prolonging sufferings to 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.

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 said, reports 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".

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, said 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.

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 on Tuesday.

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.