Rivers continue to swell in Lalmonirhat, Moulvibazar; flood situation worsens

Overall flood situation in Lalmonirhat has worsened as the rivers continued to swell due to incessant rain and onrush water from upstream.

Water of the Dharla River is flowing 45 centimetres above danger level ‍at Shimulbari point while the Teesta River’s water is flowing just below the danger mark at Teesta Barrage point but 2 centimetres above danger level at Kawnia point this morning, inundating new areas in the district, said Bajle Karim, sub-divisional engineer of Water Development Board in Lalmonirhat.

“Teesta’s water level is fluctuating and if no onrush of water from upstream comes across the border then the flood situation in Teesta shoal would develop in next 24-hrs,” the WDB official said.

Over one lakh people are affected by the flood in 90 villages of five upazilas in the district amid health risk and acute crisis of food and drinking water. Their houses, tube-wells, latrines, and the roads in the affected areas went under the floodwaters.

The flood water washed away many houses, livestocks and crops in many areas in the last few days.

“Now we are under the open sky as our houses were washed away by flood water from Teesta river,” said flood victims Amela Bewa and Apia Bewa of Khuniyagachh village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

“Letter has been sent to the ministry concerned seeking more relief assistance as per requirement,” said UNO Joyoshree Rani Roy of Sadar upazila.

“Flood victims urgently need relief materials, especially dry food items, but they are demanding for permanent solution to save them from floods by building dam on left bank of Teesta river,” she said.

“We don’t want relief. Every year we are hit by flood. We want a permanent solution to this crisis. Building a dam on Teesta’s left bank will help us live safer,” said Quader Ali, 67, a flood-hit farmer of Khuniyagachh village.

“Relief materials are not permanent solution to save us from floods and for our better living we want a dam on Teesta River bank,” said Jabbar Miah, 62, another flood-hit farmer of the same village.

District Primary Education Officer Jahangir Alam and District Education Officer Azizul Islam told that teaching activities at 31 primary schools and 11 high schools have been suspended after the schools went under flood water. Flood victims have taken shelter in many schools in the affected areas.

“Until the flood water recedes from affected areas, the teaching activities would remain suspended,” said Jahangir Alam adding that he is monitoring other schools in the affected areas.

In Moulvibazar, water in the Mono river, Dholai river and Kushiyara river has continued to flow above the danger level today.

At Railway Bridge point, the water of Mono river was flowing at 58cm and at Chadni Ghaat point it was flowing at 79cm, which are both above the danger level, said Ronendra Shankar Chakrabarty, executive engineer of the WDB in Moulvibazar.

Water level of the Dholai River has come down since last night but still continues to flow above the danger mark at 19cm while water level of Kushiyara river was flowing at 51cm, according to the executive engineer.

Source: thedailystar