Flood situation deteriorates in Gaibandha

Overall flood situation in chars and river basin areas of the Brahmaputra river at four upazilas in Gaibandha deteriorated further as the river Brahmaputra marked rise more in the last 24 hours till Tuesday morning at 9 am.

The officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) here said the water level of the river Brahmaputra rose by 7 cm during the period and it was flowing 11cm above its danger level at Fulchharighat point of the district.

The Ghagot which was flowing through the mainland of the district rose by 2 cm during the period and was flowing 37 cm over its danger mark at New Bridge Road point of the district town this morning, sources added.

With the rise of water level in the Brahmaputra and the Teesta, the chars and the river basin areas including mainland of 32 unions of Sundarganj, Sadar, Fulchhari and Saghata upazila had been submerged.

A total of 40,000 people of the unions of the upazilas have been marooned, said deputy collector and acting district relief and rehabilitation officer SM. Foyez Uddin.

Many flood affected people of the upazilas took shelter at 14 flood shelter centres with their movable assets including domestic animals and poultry birds till Sunday noon, he also said.

Due to the flood, over 1324 hectares of land of standing crops particularly T-Aus paddy, Aman seed bed, jute and summer vegetables went under flood water, said deputy director of Department of Agriculture Extension Belal Uddin.

More than 50 government primary schools of the upazilas had been closed and the academic activities had also been suspended there temporarily as the flood water entered the schools, said M. Hossain Ali, district primary education officer.

Executive engineer of BWDB Abu Raihan said leakage was also found at different spots of the flood control embankment and maintenance works are being done at the vulnerable points of the embankment through filling up earth and sand bags on urgent basis.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Oliur Rahman said 80 metric tons of rice and TK 6 lakh had already been allotted for the flood and erosion victims so far on behalf of the district administration.

The DC also instructed the UNOs to distribute rice and cash money to the flood victims properly.

Source: BSS