Torrential rains worsen again in Netrakona amid improving flood situation. Many more villages were flooded again. Meanwhile, in Sherpur and Mymensingh, even though the water has not risen, the suffering has reached its peak. Banvasis are suffering from food shortage in different areas of Mymensingh. The flood victims complained that the relief did not reach the remote areas.
Meanwhile, an old man in Durgapur in Netrakona, a child in Nakla in Sherpur and a youth in Phulpur in Mymensingh died after drowning in Ban water. In Sherpur, the death toll has reached 10 in five days. News sent by Jugantar Bureau and representatives
131 villages flooded in Netrakona: Torrential rains started in Netrakona on Tuesday morning. The flood water has increased. New areas are being flooded. 65 mm in Jhanjail area of Netrakona in 24 hours. Rainfall is recorded.
From Monday morning, the sun appeared in the sky of Netrakona. It did not rain until that evening. In this, the water in the five upazilas that were flooded decreased slightly. But Tuesday’s rain worsened the flood situation. According to the Water Development Board (PUBO) Netrakona office, 65 mm rainfall was recorded in Jaria Bazar area of Purbadhala from 6 am to 10 am. At around 5 pm, Udakhali water was flowing 23 cm above the water mark at Kalmakanda Dakbungolo point. However, the water of Kans river in Someshwari and Sadar upazilas of Durgapur is flowing below the water line at various points. The water in all the small and big rivers of Netrakona has increased. Besides, water from Sherpur’s Bhogai-Kans flows into Udakhali river at Kalmakanda through Kangs river in Jaria area. In this, Durgapur, Kalmakanda, Purbadhala, Barhatta and Sadar – five upazilas have been submerged in flood water.
According to local sources and district administration information, 131 villages in at least 27 unions in different upazilas of Netrakona have been flooded. 65 thousand people are trapped in water.
Nazrul Islam of Naktipara village of Kalmakanda said on Tuesday, ‘The water is increasing since morning. I cultivated Aman paddy in 3 acres of land. Several paddy plants were budding. But due to flood, three to eight feet of water over all paddy fields. This has been the case for three days. It seems that no rice plant will survive.’
Deputy Commissioner Banani Biswas said, ‘The water has been rising again since Tuesday morning. The embankment on the banks of river Kansa in Jaria area of Purbadhala has broken in two places. Since then, the flood situation in Purbadhala, Sadar and Barhatta is deteriorating. Crop land is also suffering a lot of damage. But we continue to try to deal with the flood. Meanwhile, water has risen in the courtyards of two worship halls of Kalmakanda upazila of Netrakona due to heavy rains and floods caused by landslides. Because of this, the pujamandap and the courtyard cannot be decorated. Spectacular gates and pandals are being constructed. However, the puja will be held as usual, said the president and editors of the puja committee. Sujan Saha, general secretary of Kalmakanda Upazila Puja Udyapan Parishad, said that water has risen in the courtyard of Durgabari Nayapara Mahashamshanghat and Jatrabari Pujamandap. But they have made all the preparations for the puja.
Old man drowned in Durgapur: A person named Rusmat Khan (60) died after drowning in the floodwaters in Netrakona’s Durgapur. The incident took place in Sreepur village of Gaonkandia union of the upazila on Monday afternoon. He was buried on the side of the road on Tuesday morning as there was water around him. Rusmat Khan is the son of deceased Akhter Khan of Sripur village of that upazila.
Floods improve in Sherpur, drowning child: Flash floods caused by heavy rains and mountain runoff have improved in Jhenaigati, Nalitabari and Srivardi upazilas bordering Sherpur. As there was no rain on Monday, the invasion of the hills has reduced. The waters of the mountain rivers Maharshi, Someswari, Bhogai and Chellakhali flow far below the Vipatseema. However, water from the upstream has caused flooding in downstream areas. As a result, many houses and roads have accumulated water, increasing the suffering of people. After the flood water receded, the picture of devastation started emerging in the flood affected areas including Jhenaigati. The condition of rural roads is very bad. Meanwhile, a 5-year-old child named Rahim died in Talki area of Nakla upazila, said OC Habibur Rahman of Nakla police station. With this, the number of people drowned in flood water in 5 days has reached 10 people. Krishani Shiuli Begum of Baluakanda village of Pakuria Union of Sherpur Sadar Upazila said, ‘Houses have been destroyed by floods. Cooking is stopped because the oven is wet. I don’t get food.’ Rahima Begum, a housewife of the same village, said, ‘There is no food. I can’t get the fire burning in the stove. Gharbari Vainga Jheiga. The rice crop has been eaten by the river.’
A youth drowned in Phulpur: A youth named Anwar Hossain (18) died after drowning in flood waters in Phulpur, Mymensingh. He is the son of Sekander Ali of Bhatpara village of Sinheshwar union. On his way home on Tuesday morning, he was swept away by the floodwaters. Later locals recovered his body.
Dhobaura, Haluaghat (Mymensingh): At least Rs 33 crore worth of fish has been washed away by floods in Dhobaura, Mymensingh. Fishery has sunk in different areas and fish have been washed away. The fish farmers are getting disoriented. Meanwhile, the flood situation is stable. 50,000 people are stuck in water in 4 unions. The flood water is stable in Porakandulia, Baghber, Dhobaura Sadar and Goatla Unions of the upazila. According to Upazila Engineering Office sources, 127 kilometers of roads are under water. There is a food crisis among the waterlogged people. However, the upazila administration, the army and various political and voluntary organizations are distributing relief to the flood-affected areas. Upazila administration and army distributed relief materials in Darsha Bilpar area of upazila on Tuesday morning. On the other hand, BNP Joint Secretary General Syed Emran Saleh Prince went to the houses in different parts of the upazila and handed over relief materials to the people under house arrest.
The flood situation in Haluaghat is gradually improving. Water is coming down from the houses and roads of the upazila. However, even though the water level has decreased, the Banvasis are currently suffering. Many people’s houses were destroyed in the flood. All the equipment including furniture has been destroyed in the old house. As a result the house has become uninhabitable. Relief has not yet reached many places. Although the residents around the road have received relief, many in the remote areas are still not getting the necessary food and clean water. As a result, they spend their days in endless trouble by eating and not eating. Already waterborne diarrhea patients have increased.
‘Rice has not been seen for three days’: Farooq Ahmed’s wife Mocha of Kulirkanda village of Sinheshwar union of Phulpur upazila. Khadija Begum said, ‘Flood water has risen in the house. No cooking facilities. The family has not seen rice for three days. House, cattle-goats and belongings Raikha go where? I have been walking around the house for so long. Today, rice is being cooked from a relative’s house and brought by boat.’ He also said that 300 families of Kulirkanda village are in water-tight condition. No one has received any support so far. Everyone is in trouble. Elder Haresh Ali (65) of the same village said that the cooking is stopped due to rising water in the house. I have trouble eating. I am not getting any help.
Dharmapasha (Sunamganj): 400 hectares of aman land cultivated in Dharmapasha upazila has been submerged in water. Local people’s representatives said that even though the water from the hills has started to recede in Madhyanagar, the roads and houses have been damaged.
Roumari (Kurigram): The lowland areas bordering Roumari upazila have been flooded by landslides coming down from upstream. In this, 55 thousand people of about 30 villages of Roumari-Rajibpur upazila in Jinjiram river basin have become waterlogged. Although the flood situation has improved slightly for two days, still around 10,000 families are stuck in water. The sufferings of the Banvasis did not abate.