North hit hard by floods

Vast areas of Sunamganj, Sylhet, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat are under water as bordering rivers have swelled due to heavy rain upstream Assam and Meghalaya.

The Teesta, the Dharla, the Dudhkumar, the Surma and the Sarigowain rivers were flowing above the danger level.

Just within a span of three weeks, the northeastern part of the country has been hit by seasonal flood again, inundating most areas of Sunamganj town, and a large portion of Sylhet city, inflicting sufferings to thousands of people.

Many had to leave their homes and take refuge at temporary flood shelters.

The sufferings of people are not going to end soon as the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) said, the water levels of all the rivers will continue to increase in the next 48 hours as they forecast heavy rainfall upstream in India.

The water levels of all the major rivers including the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the Ganges-Padma, the Surma, the Kushiyara, the Teesta, the Dharla, and the Dudkumar may continue rising in the next 48 hours, says the flood forecast bulletin.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at some places in northern and northeastern regions and in Assam, Meghalaya states in India in the next 72 hours, the bulletin added.

In Sylhet region, the flood situation is deteriorating fast. Several lakh people of Sylhet and Sunamganj have been marooned.

In Sylhet, Gowainghat, Kanaighat, Companiganj, Jaintiapur, and Sylhet Sadar upazilas are the most affected along with parts of Sylhet city that lies beside the Surma river.

Sunamganj town is the worst hit as almost all areas in the town have been flooded along with low-lying areas of Chhatak, Dowarabazar, Sunamganj Sadar, Bishwambarpur and Tahirpur upazilas.

Around 10,000 people took refuge in temporarily flood shelters opened in primary schools.

Road communications with Chhatak and Tahirpur upazilas with the district headquarters have been snapped since Wednesday.

"Every hour since Wednesday, new flood shelters are opening up as thousands are going there," said Shafiqul Islam, relief and rehabilitation officer in Sunamganj.

Meanwhile, examinees of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) from flood-affected areas are puzzled as many exam centres have already been submerged and going to the centres will be hard if the flood stays.

The examination is scheduled to start on June 19.

With the rise of water in the Dharla and the Teesta, erosions in shoal areas have increased, making a large number of people homeless in Kurigram and Lalmonirhat.

Lalmonirhat Water Development Board's Executive Engineer Mizanur Rahman told The Daily Star that people were urged to evacuate from low-lying and char areas along the rivers.

According to the Water Development Board and local administration sources, the Dharla and the Teesta rivers in Lalmonirjhat and Kurigram have been devouring land at 50 places.