Thousands marooned again

Thousands of people living on the shoal of rivers and char areas in Dharla, Teesta and Dudkumar in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram have been marooned in floodwater due to the rise of water level of the rivers following heavy downpour and onrush of water from upstream hilly areas.

Flood-hit people are in fear as erosion hits many points newly across the bank of the Teesta and Dharla rivers in the districts.

The Dharla was flowing 9cm above the danger level at Shimulbari point in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila on Thursday at 9 am, while the Teesta was flowing just 27 cm below the danger level at Teesta Barrage point, according to the local WDB office.

Hundreds of people living in low-lying and char areas of Dohogram, Burimari, Shreerampur, Patgram Sadar under Patgram upazila, Saniajan, Guddimari, Dawyabari, Singimari, Sinduna, Patikapara under Hatibandha upazila, Tushvhandar, Kakina, Vhotmari, Aditmari under Kaliganj upazila and Khunigas, Rajpur Gokunda, Kulaghat, Borobari unions under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila have been marooned in the second phase of the flood.

Patgram Municipality Mayor, Rashedul Islam Sweet said, around five hundred families in different wards of his municipality have been inundated due to heavy rainfall and onrush of upstream water in the Teesta, Dharla, and Shingimari rivers. Char people, especially the daily wage earners have become jobless and are passing days amid hardship along with their family members. We have distributed dry food and cash money among the flood-hit people.

Sakhina Begum, 55, of Char Falimari village in Mogholhat union under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila said,” We had left our house and stayed at a flood shelter for 10 days and returned home on June 22 after the recession of water at the first phase of the flood. The house went under water again. We have to leave the house and take shelter in the flood shelter centre.”

Lalmonirhat- Mogholhat UP Chairman, Habibur Rhaman said, river erosion is also taking place in some areas of his union.

Executive Engineer, Bangladesh Water Development Board, Lalmonirhat, Mizanur Rhaman said, Dharla started eroding in many points at Shibirkuti, Kharua, Charfalimari, Budaru, Basoria, and Kulaghat under Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila while Teesta is eroding in Chargonkunda, khuniagas, under Sadar upazila, Goribullapara, and Chandimari under Aditmari upazila, Dawabari and Sindurna areas - under Gaibandha upazila of the district. We have taken safeguard measures in the areas dumping G0 bag, Go tube and Go filter across the banks of the rivers to protect the establishments and valuable assets, he added.

Executive Engineer, BWDB Kurigram, Abdullah Al Mamun said, the flood situation deteriorates again as the water in Dharla and Dhudkumar is swelling again. Dharla is flowing above 12 centimetres of the danger level at Bridge point, Kurigram Sadar while Dudkumar is flowing above 10 centimetres above at Pateshori point under Sonahat union under Vhrugamari upazila of the district on Thursday at 9 am.

Erosion hit across the bank of the Teesta River in the Ghorialdanga area under Biddananda union Rajarhart upazila of the district. The Bank lines of the river in many areas are still underwater. Steps have been taken to protect the erosion.

However, many low-lying and char areas under Sadar upazila have been marooned freshly, he added.

Kurigram Sadar upazila Vhogdanga union chairman Saidur Rhaman said a fresh flood has inundated about five thousand families in some 20 villages of his union. We have distributed 2200 packets of dry food and rice among flood-affected people.

Insan Ali, 60, a farmer of Charboroibari village of the union said, his house had been damaged partially in the first phase of the flood which has not yet been repaired. The house went under knee-deep long water again during the last twenty-four hours. He along with his family members has been suffering from an acute crisis of food and drinking water.

Executive Engineer, Water Development Board of Dalia division, Asfaudullah said that all 44 gates of the Teesta Barrage have been kept open to control the flow of water, adding that the Teesta has been flowing 27 cm below the danger mark at Dalia barrage point on Thursday 9 am.

Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Abdul Wahab Bhuiyan said that they are monitoring the situation and sent requisition to the higher authorities for more relief for the affected people.