Flood situation not improving in Kurigram

Over two and a half lakh people are stranded by floodwater in around 400 villages of eight upazilas of Kurigram as there is no improvement in the overall flood situation in the district.

The Brahmaputra and Dharla rivers are flowing above the danger level and dykes have collapsed in different areas, our Lalmonirhat correspondent reports.

Many villagers have already left their homes and are living in temporary shelters wrapped in polythene on government roads, dykes and in other safe places with their livestock and essentials.

Ariful Islam, executive engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board, said the water level at Dharla River has been flowing 77cm above the danger level at Kurigram Bridge point, 94cm above at Brahmaputra River at Nunkhawa Ghat point and 101cm above at Chilmari point since 6:00am.

Nader Hossain, 65, a flood victim at Kaduar Char in Rowmari upazila of Kurigram, said their house went under water last night when the Fouzdari dyke collapsed at Sonavari River.

They left home at night and shifted to the government roads and other safe places, he said.

Nabir Hossain (54), a resident of College Road in Rajibpur upazila, said the upazila headquarter was inundated in floodwater from Brahmaputra River.

They have been living in water for the last few days, he added.
Rowmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Al-Imran told our Lalmonirhat correspondent the victims were brought to safe places by boats at night.

The flood-hit people have also been evacuated from their houses from some of the affected areas, he said, adding that relief assistance is being distributed to them from the upazila administration.

Meanwhile, the overall flood situation in Lalmonirhat is improving as floodwater has receded from most affected areas, said Mizanur Rahman, executive engineer of Lalmonirhat Water Development Board.

The two main rivers -- Teesta and Dharla -- in Lalmonirhat are flowing far below the danger level, he added.