Flood situation in Kurigram deteriorates, low lying areas in Pabna inundated

Flood situation in Kurigram deteriorated today as water of all the rivers in the region including the Brahmaputra and Dharla has been flowing above danger level.

Meanwhile, low lying areas and shoals on the Jamuna river in Pabna were inundated, affecting over 20 thousand families in Chatmohar, Vangura, Bera and Faridpur upazilas of the district, our local correspondent reports.

In Kurigram, flood-hit people on shoals of the Brahmaputra River have been suffering from different water-borne diseases including diarrhoea.

A 35-member special medical team is working in the field in this regard, our Lalmonirhat correspondent reports quoting Kurigram Civil Surgeon Dr Habibur Rahman.

Fatema Begum, a flood victim in Char Sonaigazi at Phulbari, said she had been living in a polythene-wrapped hut with her family since July 10 following the second wave of flooding.

They have been facing starvation as they did not get any government or private relief assistance, she alleged.

Kurigram Civil Surgeon Dr Habibur Rahman said that water-borne diseases have appeared in the flood-hit areas. So far, they have identified 55 cases of diarrhoea and provided necessary medical services.

Health care providers of community clinics and health workers have been asked to serve the flood-affected people at the field level, he informed.

The health department is active in controlling water-borne diseases, including diarrhoea, in flood-hit areas, he said, adding that they have an adequate supply of saline.

Ariful Islam, executive engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board, said the water level of Brahmaputra River in Kurigram has been flowing 6 cm above the danger level at Chilmari point and 53 cm above the danger level at Nunkhawa Ghat point, while the water level of Dharla river has been flowing a whopping 89 cm above danger level at Kurigram bridge point since 6 am today.

In Pabna, the Jamuna river is flowing 54 cm above the danger level, said Md Abdul Hamid, executive engineer of WDB's Bera division.

Asif Anam Siddiquee, Bera upazila nirbahi officer, however, said over 40 thousand people of four unions in Bera upazila have been hit by the flood evem though the areas of flood protection embankment are safe till this afternoon.

WDB Engineer Hamid said Padma and Jamuna took a serious toll on livelihoods, devouring homesteads and crop lands in 14 areas of Sujanagar and Bera upazila.

In Tangail, although water of the major rivers including Jamuna, Dhaleswari and Jhenai were observed to be receding in the last few days, destruction of infrastructure by the flooding continued. 

A bridge collapsed due to huge pressure of flood water yesterday, disrupting local communication and causing sufferings along the Goihata-Singjore road in Nagarpur upazila, our Tangail correspondent reports.

As a result, road communication of six local villages via the bridge was disrupted.

On information, Md Ataul Gani, deputy commissioner in Tangail, visited the spot in the afternoon and directed the authorities concerned to arrange alternative measures for facilitating movement of the villagers.

The DC also directed local officials of the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) to take initiative to construct a new bridge there as soon as possible after the flood situation improves.