Floods threaten embankments

The flood situation in the country worsened on Wednesday with more areas of Bogra, Faridpur and Sirajganj districts going under water.



At least five hundred families were made homeless and tens of thousands were marooned in Bogra after a flood control embankment was breached in Sariakandi.


Sirajul Islam, executive officer of the Water Development Board, a 15-foot section of the embankment was washed away, flooding Chandan Baisha, Kutubpur, Ghughumari, Kamalpur, Rawdah villages.


He said the Jamuna river was flowing 82 centimetres above the danger level at one point.


Sariakandi Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Wahedur Rahman said new areas were being flooded. He could not give an estimate of the affected families in his upazila.


The flood situation in Faridpur also worsened as the river Padma swelled further.


Water at Goalanda point was measured to be flowing 88 centimetres above the red mark, according to the Water Development Board.


Md Rafiq Ullah, executive engineer of the WDB, said 60,000 people of 15 unions in Sadar, Charbhadrashan, and Sadarpur upazilas were marooned.


He said Faridpur town's flood protection embankment had developed cracks in at least 15 places. The WDB was trying to repair the damage.


Faridpur deputy commissioner Akteruzzaman Md Mostafa Kamal said 25 educational institutions were forced to close due to floodwaters.


bdnews24.com Sirajganj correspondent reports the Jamuna water level rose by 4 centimetres in 24 hours at Sirajganj point and was flowing 41 centimetres above the danger line.


Five people have been drowned in floodwaters.


The rivers Karotoa, Ichhamati, Fulzore, Baral and Huashagar and Chalan continue to rise.


Swelling waters inundated Sirajganj Sadar, the municipal area and low-lying areas of Ullapara, Shajadpur and Chouhali upazilas.


Sirajganj district relief and rehabilitation officer Md Abul Khair said up to 40,000 people in the district were affected by the flood.


Khair said 12 shelters were opened in Sadar Upazila and municipal area that accommodated about 11,000 people.


In Kurigram, the flood situation improved slightly but thousands had been made homeless.


Mostafa Rezaul Asafuddoula, executive engineer of the WDB, said erosion at Rajar Vita and Kachkol in Chilmari, Charnewaji and Astamichar of Roumari, Bangasona Hat of Bhurungamari, Andharir Jhar, Thaieb Khan of Rajarhat, Gharial Bhanga, Bajra and Hatia of Ulipur worsened.


Mostafa said necessary steps could not be taken at all the places due to lack of funds.


District relief officer Tofazzel Hossain said water levels in almost all rivers fell but the Dharla was still flowing 14 centimetres above the danger mark.


Over 40,000 hectares of aman cropland went under water; floodwaters had already destroyed crops on 10,000 hectares, he said