City dwellers suffering crisis of gas, power

Lack of drinking water, gas and electricity has compounded the sufferings of flood-affected residents of Sylhet city about a week into the deluge.

Several blocks under Power Development Board-2 in the suburban areas of Teroroton, Subhanighat, Jatarpur, Mendibag, Chalibandar, Masimpur, Chararpar have remained under water for the past five days, disrupting water supply and snapping gas and power connections.

At night the areas plunge into darkness for lack of power. Many are bracing water-borne diseases as pure drinking water has become scarce. Disrupted gas lines mean hardships in cooking meals.

The residents of Shahjalal suburb are the worst affected by the flood.

Several hundred people in the district are still marooned. Those in the shelter homes get only some dry foods.

Ema Begum, a resident of E-Block, said though floodwaters started to recede from my house since Friday there is still no gas and electricity.

However, Fatema Begum, a resident of C block, said floodwaters are yet to recede from her premises. She and her neighbours want supply of safe water.

Volunteers from different organisations including Red Crescent and others were seen distributing water bottles in the flood-hit areas of the city. The flood situation in the district has yet to improve.

A total of 293 villages in Jakiganj upazila went under water as a dyke near the estuary of three rivers collapsed, rendering 1.80 lakh people marooned.

Besides, 15-20 villages in Biswanath and Fenchuganj upazilas were also flooded in the last two days.