Heavy rain triggering flood in Sylhet, Chittagong

Publish | 13 Jun 2018, 14:17

Online Desk

Incessant rainfall in the last few days has triggered flooding situations in three districts of Sylhet division and some upazilas of Chittagong district.

Khowai, Manu and Dhalai rivers have swelled up, flooding a number of villages in Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts in Sylhet division.

Manu was flowing 175 centimetres above the danger level at Manu Railway Bridge point in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar. Also, the Dhalai was flowing 52 centrimetres over the danger level at Dhalai Bridge point in Kamalganj.

The water levels may rise in the next 24 hours, says Shankar Chakraborty, executive engineer of Water Development Board’s (WDB) local office.

He said, the onrush of water from Indian state of Tripura is adding to the swelling of rivers in addition to the incessant monsoon rains since yesterday.

A number of villages in Kamalganj and Kulaura upazilas have been inundated due to the swelling of the rivers, he said.

Meanwhile, water level of Khowai River in Habiganj was flowing 180 centimetres above the danger mark in Habiganj town point causing flood, said Tauhidul Islam, executive engineer of WDB’s Habiganj office.

The Habiganj town protection dyke has been facing threat of collapse in different points due to the increase of water level in Khowai River, he said.

The low-lying areas along the dyke were inundated by the river water, he added.

The upazila administration of Kamalganj has distributed rice among 125 flood-affected families in Karimpur and Munshibazar areas today, said Mohammad Mahmudul Huq, Kamalganj upazila nirbahi officer (UNO).

Incessant rain triggers flood in 3 Ctg upazilas

Three upazilas in Chittagong were inundated due to incessant rainfall for last three days till this morning causing several thousand people marooned.

Severe flooding has been reported in Hathazari, Raozan and Fatikchhari upazilas of the district that caused untold sufferings to the people.

In Hathazari, regional roads, fish enclosures, houses and business establishments were submerged by the rain water.

Besides, embankments of Halda River in different points collapsed, increasing the woes of the people. The Hathazari-Rangamati, Hathazari-Khagrachhari and Hathazari-Oxygen highways were inundated causing immense sufferings to the commuters.

The local administration has taken all out preparation to tackle any kind of natural disaster, said Akterunnesa Sheuli, Hathazari upazila nirbahi officer (UNO).

The inhabitants of low-lying areas have been asked to take shelter in local educational institutions, she said.

In Raozan, heavy rains flooded many low-lying areas in the upazila, causing untold sufferings to the people.

Nearly one lakh people in six unions -- Haldia, Dabua, Chikdair, Ghahira, Noajishpur, Purba Gujra and Raozan -- have been trapped following the rain water.

People were seen wading through the knee-deep water on Chittagong-Rangamati road on Tuesday. Besides, traffic remained suspended on the road due to the flood.

Shamim Hossain, UNO of Raozan upazila, said onrush of hill water and persistent rains for the last three days have inundated at least six unions of the upazila.

A total of 24 shelter centres have been opened as well as a control room will be in operation for 24 hours, he added.

Besides, leave of all the employees and staffs of the local administration were cancelled and all of them were asked to remain in their work place round the clock, the UNO added.

In Fatikchhari upazila, persistent rains for the last three days led to severe flooding in 12 unions of the upazila.

The Aman seedbeds were damaged while fish of different ponds were washed way.

Meanwhile, Taiab, 28, a resident of Purba Farhadabad reportedly went missing in the flood water around 4:30 pm on Tuesday.

Khurshid Alam, Gauge Station officer of Water Development Board in Narayanhat, said the water of Halda River has been flowing 5.90 centimeter above the water level till 6 pm on Tuesday.

Some fifty villages in the upazila including Dharmapur, Committee Bazar, Bakhatpur, Shamitir Haat, Nischintapur, Azadi Bazar, West Dharmapur, Lelang, Gopal Ghata, Kanchan Nagar, Manikpur, Telparoi, Manik gola, Paschim Bakhatpur, Okhara, Rosanggiri, Paschim Nanupur, Maizbhandar, Azimnagar, Suabil, Sundarpur, Purba Harualchhari, Paidong, Bherajali, Shetkua, Doulatpur, Kumbar Par, Dhurong, Rangamatia were inundated by the flood water, rendering three lakh people marooned.

Source: thedailystar/unb