Home ›› 09 Aug 2022 ›› Nation
Hundreds of houses, the vast tract of land, and crop fields have been eroded in eight districts of Rangpur division after the sudden flood, caused by the onrush of upstream water, started to recede.
The Water Development Board (WDB) identified 100 spots in Rangpur, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat where erosion turned severe on Saturday and Sunday.
According to the WDB, the Teesta River was flowing below the danger level at Teesta Barrage point in Lalmonirhat's Doani area on Friday morning which was flowing 15 centimetres above the danger mark on Tuesday morning.
WDB Executive Engineer in Lalmonirhat Mizanur Rahman said this is the third spell of floods this year. The region was hit by two floods in June and July.
"Teesta River has lost much of its navigability due to the increase of sediment for a long time. The overflowing river inundates the surrounding areas when the water level rises slightly,” he also said.
Chairman of Laxmitari union council in Gangachara Abdullah Al Hadi said about 2,500 families living in different villages in the union in the Teesta River basin have been marooned. Croplands and roads in the low-lying areas went under water with the sudden rise of water in Teesta Sunday night.
Kaliganj Upazila Chairman Mahabubzamman said around 3,000 families living in three unions – Bhotmari, Kakina and Tushbhandar – have been affected and marooned in the fresh flood.
Houses, croplands and low-lying areas have been inundated. The water however has been receding from most of the areas.
“We have distributed 8 tonnes of rice among the flood-hit people in the upazila.” He added.
Jamal Miah, 50, a farmer of Bhotmari village said they become flood victims frequently with the rise of water-level in the Teesta. Croplands, houses, homesteads, and cattle have been affected. His house went underwater and it was receded on Thursday. They are facing difficulties to move as some roads in the area are still under water.
Chairman of Bhogdanga union in Kurigram Sadar Saidur Rhaman said some low-lying areas of his union went underwater in the fresh flood. The water started receding.
Insan Ali, 55, of Jagomoner Char village of the union said they had to leave homes with the sudden rise of water in the Dharla on Tuesday morning. They returned home on Friday morning after the water recession. Flood water has damaged his Aman harvest planted on two bighas of land, he said.
Severe erosion was also along the bank of the Teesta at Patrakahta of Ramana union in Chilmari of Kurigram and Currentbazar in Haripur union of Sundarganj in Gaibandha. Houses, homesteads and croplands of the villages were devoured by the river.
Locals said around 200 houses and 400 bighas of land of the villages have gone under the river water.
Ramana Union Council Chairman Golam Asheq said the swelling Teesta is devouring houses and croplands at Patrakhata village of the union every day.
Executive Engineer, BWDB Kurigram, Abdullah Al Mamun said, the flood situation deteriorates again as the water in Teesta, Dharla and Dhudkumar has sharply risen due to the rush of upstream water last Monday night.
“We are working to protect the erosion in the affected areas. The department has allocated 72,000 GO textile bags to dump on the riverside to protect the erosion in the villages. Sand-filled GO textile bag piling work in the river has been going on fast,” he added.
Additional Director, DAE, Rangpur region, Emdadul Hossain Sheikh said, the loss of the crop has not yet been estimated. It would be calculated after the complete recession of water.
