Floodwater starts to recede in Sunamganj

The floodwaters began to recede in Sunamganj on Friday morning as the Surma River was flowing 13 cm below the danger level, but the foul smell of rotten, clogged waste made the air in the municipal area heavy.

During a visit to the municipal area on that day, the UNB reporter observed waste materials that were still stuck in floodwater at North Arpin Nagar, Shaheb Bari Ghat, Moddho Bazar, Surma Market, Alfat Square Point, Kalibari, the old bus stand, Jamai Para, and Hazir Para, among many other locations.

Residents of the area are struggling to go out to run daily errands even after the water began receding.

“The area was stinking so badly that I couldn’t step out of the house since the morning,” said Ruhul Amin, a resident of the North Arpin Nagar area.

“The flood water has receded but our sufferings did not end due to this rotten waste,” said Ashim Ray from the Natun Para area.

However, Sunamganj municipal mayor Nader Bakht said, “We started cleaning the city immediately after the water started receding.”

Sunamganj Civil Surgeon Dr Ahmmed Hossain said, “No one fell ill with water-borne diseases yet and 123 medical teams are ready to provide services.”

Flood worsens in parts of Sylhet, improves in Kurigram, Rangpur

The flood situation has worsened in some parts of Sylhet while it has improved in the northern district of Kurigram and Rangpur.

In Sylhet, the water levels of the Kushiara River rose in the past 48 hours, deteriorating the flood situation in several places.

According to the local Water Development Board (WDB), the Kushiara was flowing above the danger level at various points on Friday morning.

Zakiganj, Beanibazar, Gopalganj, Phenchuganj, Osmaninagar, Biswanath, South Surma of Sylhet, Baralekha, Kulaura, Rajnagar, Juri, and Jagannathpur of Sunamganj have been inundated by the waters of the Kushiara.

Meanwhile, floodwater has started receding in Kurigram and Rangpur, officials said on Friday.

While the Teesta and the Dharla are flowing below the danger mark, the Brahmaputra is still flowing at 5cm above the red level at Chilmari point, according to the Kurigram WDB.

With floodwaters receding, the miseries of the residents of the char areas in the district have increased.

Some 328 educational institutions have remained closed for a week due to the ongoing floods. Besides, crops on 15,800 hectares of land have been damaged due to the floods.

In many areas, flood survivors are crying for relief. Apart from facing a food crisis, they also need pure drinking water, fuel, and fodder.

Sadar Upazila Panchgachhi UP Chairman Abdul Baten said that at least 5,000 poor families in his union were affected by the floods, "but so far, they have got nine tonnes of rice. Only 900 families can be provided with 10kg of rice.”

However, Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Md Rezaul Karim claimed there was adequate relief for the flood survivors. "Everyone will get relief in phases."

In Rangpur, displaced people started returning to their homes in some places following a further improvement in the flood situation.

WDB officials said the water levels of all major rivers marked sharp falls following a reduction in the rate of onrushing water from upstream.

The improving trend might continue with a further fall in water levels of all major rivers in Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura, and Sirajganj during the next 24 hours.