The flood victims in Kurigram have been struggling with being stranded in flood water and many of them are yet to get the government relief.
The flood situation in the district has worsened as water levels of 16 rivers, including the Brahmaputra, Dharla, Teesta, and Dudhkumar, continue to rise, exacerbating the plight of thousands of residents, reports UNB.
Flood victims said many families are spending nights on boats and the relief given by the local administration is quite inadequate.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saidul Arif reported alarming water levels in the key points of the Brahmaputra River. At Chilmari Point, the river is currently flowing 49cm above the danger mark, while it reaches 71cm at Hatia Point and 34cm at Nunkhawa Point. Similarly, the Dharla River is surpassing danger levels by 8cm at Bridge Point, and the Dudhkumar River by 3cm at Pateshwari Point.
The rising water levels of Brahmaputra, Dudhkumar, and Dharla rivers have submerged vast swathes of land, affecting 1,35,057 people in 55 unions in nine upazilas of Kurigram, the DC said.
The affected upazilas are- Phulbari, Bharungamari, Nageshwari, Kurigram Sadar, Ulipur, Rajarhat, Chilmari, Roumari, Char Rajibpur.
Local upazila representatives, however, estimate the actual number of stranded people to exceed 2,00,000; with 458 families losing their homes due to river banks erosions.
In addition to displaced families, the floods have severely impacted education.
According to district officials, 398 educational institutions were inundated and three were washed away.
Besides, approximately 7,350 hectares of cropland have been inundated.
The situation is dire for many families who are unable to cook due to the inundation, prompting them to seek refuge elsewhere.
So far, 542 tonnes of rice, along with 23,790 packets of dry food, have been distributed among flood victims.
Additionally, 83 medical teams have been deployed in the flood-hit areas.
