Sylhet flood situation likely to worsen

People in the northeastern region of the country were witnessing a flood for the third time, exactly within one month.

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

Meanwhile, he forecast that the flood situation would be prolonged as almost the entire country experienced heavy rainfall triggered by an active monsoon.

Raihan also added that, due to massive amounts of rainfall, major rivers are overflowing and submerging vast tracts of land along the rivers.

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 the 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 assistance for minimising the suffering of the flood-hit people.”

As part of emergency assistance, 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.

After 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 flooding as life and livelihoods are severely damaged in the northeastern district of 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.

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

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

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

The statement, signed by Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh, read that among the 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 the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) have marked rise while 19 stations recorded a fall.

Among the 110 monitored river stations, the 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.