Flood situation in Sylhet remains unchanged

The overall flood situation in Sylhet showed no signs of improvement on Wednesday, with some rivers still flowing above the danger level.

Officials said that all the rivers of the district are full to the brim due to the onrush of hilly waters from the upstream and incessant rains over the past several days. The Surma and the Kushiara, in particular, are flowing above the danger level.

The low-lying areas of the district have already been flooded, rendering nearly one lakh people marooned, officials said.

Meanwhile, a vast tract of the bordering areas of Goainghat, Companiganj, Kanaighat, Jointapur and Jakiganj upazilas have also been inundated.

In Sylhet city, several roads have gone under water with floodwaters entering a number of government establishments.

AKM Niloy Saha, the deputy divisional engineer of the Sylhet Water Development Board, said, “We are receiving reports of the collapse of flood protection dams from different parts of the district.”

According to weather experts, if the incessant rains in neighbouring India’s Meghalaya and Assam districts continue, the flood situation may worsen further in the district.

Syed Ahmed Chowdhury, a senior meteorologist of Sylhet Weather Office, said the flood situation may worsen further as rains are likely to occur in Sylhet on May 20 and May 21.

District’s relief and rehabilitation officer Nurul Islam, however, said that the local administration has opened a number of shelters and food has been allocated for the flood-hit people.