Double trouble for flood-hit people

Flood-hit people in different districts are now being forced to take shelter under open sky as many flood shelters have been submerged.

Around 14 lakh people in 81 upazilas of 15 districts have so far been affected by the flood. Around 3 lakh of them are still waterlogged, said a recent bulletin of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

Flood hit people of Kamalpur village in Shahzadpur upazila in Sirajganj were supposed to take shelter at the Kamalpur Government Primary School. But the flood shelter remained inundated this year.

"Flood water is increasing rapidly and flood shelters are also being submerged. So, the flood victims in the area prefer staying in flood-hit houses or road side lands or embankments instead of flood shelter." Abul Hossain, a resident of the village, said.

Char Betkandi Primary School in the same upazila was in the same situation and locals could not reach the flood shelter to reach the flood shelter. The flood water reached the floor of the school.

Contacted, the district relief and rehabilitation (DRRO) officer Abdur Rahim could not tell the number of flood centres that have submerged.

In Jamalpur, flood water has already entered the premises of 40 flood centres in Islampur upazila while grounds of all five shelters in Dewanganj upazila have gone under water.

Overall flood situation in Jamalpur further worsened as water level of the Jamuna rose 129 cm above the danger mark at Bahadurabad Ghat point in Dewanganj upazila as of 12 noon yesterday, according to official of WDB.

Around 6 lakh people have been remaining waterlogged, said DRRO Nayeb Ali.

Five people, including a freedom fighter, of Dewanganj upazila, have drowned in the flood water so far during this second phase of flood, said the DRRO.

In Gaibandha, there are 161 shelters opened for the flood affected people. A total of 13,652 flood affected people have taken shelter in 73 shelter centres, said the district relief and rehabilitation officer.

Among the shelter centers Rasulpur Govt Primary School in Gaibandha Sadar upazila and Uttar Uria Govt Primary School flooded recently where 30 families had taken shelters, said Matab Uddin, chairman of Uria Union Parishad in the district's Fulchari upazila.

In Kurigram, flood situation remains unchanged as the water of the Brahmaputra and the Dharla were still flowing above danger level till yesterday.

Over 2.5 lakh people are affected by flood in the district. Many of them have left their homes and are living in temporary shelters on roads, dykes and in other safe places with their livestock and essentials.

Meanwhile, many villages have been submerged as Fouzdari dyke collapsed at Rowmari upazila Wednesday night.

Nader Hossain, a resident of Kaduar Char area in Rowmari upazila of Kurigram, said their house submerged on Wednesday night after the dyke collapsed. They have been living on a government road since then.

In Tangail, the overall flood situation has further deteriorated as the flow of water from upstream continues and the water of all rivers increasing abnormally.

Till 9:00 am on yesterday, the water level of the Jamuna is 88 cm above the danger level while Jhenai is 86 cm and Dhaleswari 125 cm.

In Munshiganj, the Padma is flowing above the danger level. Locals fear that riverside localities would be inundated soon.

Our Pabna, Jamalpur, Bogura, Lalmonirhat and Tangail correspondents contributed to this report.