Flash flood submerges areas in Sherpur, Kurigram

Fifteen more villages in Jhenaigati upazila of Sherpur district have been inundated afresh due to an onrush of water from hills, causing immense suffering to the residents.

A 14-month-old girl named Dia Moni, daughter of Rafiqul Islam of Sari Kalinagar village in the upazila, drowned in the flood water while playing in the courtyard, said Manirul Alam Bhuiya, officer-in-charge of Jhenaigati Police Station.

Many roads have been inundated by the flood water as three embankments at Moharoshi, Khoilkura, and Ramerkura have collapsed, snapping road communications in the area.

Several hundred people have been marooned in the upazila while a number of fish enclosures were washed away causing huge losses to farmers.

Shubho Basak, the executive engineer of the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED), said a number of roads in Dhanshail, Panbar and Sutipara were damaged and potholes developed on the Ahmednagar-Mohonganj road.

Besides, roads stretching from the north bank of the Moharoshi River to Nalkura and Dakabor to Shalchura were inundated by flood water, halting road communications

Jhenaigati Upazila Nirbahi Officer Faruk Al Masud said 10 metric tonnes of rice have been allocated from the administration for the flood victims and the chairmen of the local Union Parishad under the upazila were asked to assess the damages caused by the flood.

Kurigram district’s Roumari upazila has also seen flash floods due to heavy rains. Upazila Agriculture Officer Abdul Qayum Chowdhury said, “Farmer’s did not suffer much as most were already harvested. However, some farmers lost their cattle feed and vegetable harvests.”

Roumari Upazila Project Implementation Officer Azizur Rahman said the low-lying areas of the upazila have been inundated by heavy rain streaming down from hilly slopes.

“About 20,000 people are stranded in the flood. We are keeping a close eye to ensure the situation does not escalate.”