Flood situation worsens as 100,000 people maroo
© UNBFlood situation worsens as 100,000 people marooned in Sirajganj
With thousands of people still marooned by floods, river erosion has taken a serious turn at least in six districts.

Many houses, vast areas of cropland and other structures have already been devoured by rivers, while many other structures are at risk.

The flood-hit people are passing hard days amid shortage of food and drinking water, though government officials concerned are saying that measures have been taken to distribute relief materials.

A bulletin of Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said 14 rivers in the country were flowing above the danger level yesterday.

"In next 24 hours, the flood situation in low-lying areas of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur, Bogura, Tangail, Sirajganj, Pabna, Manikganj, Rajbari, Shariatpur and Faridpur districts may deteriorate," it said.




The bulletin was released at 9:00am yesterday.

In Manikganj, several thousands of people in Daulatpur, Shibalay and Harirampur upazilas have been stranded by floodwater.

The Jamuna was overflowing nine centimetres above the danger mark at Aricha around 3:00pm yesterday, said a Water Development Board (WDB) official.

Cropland, business establishments, schools and roads are at risk of going into the Padma as the erosion has taken a serious turn in Harirampur upazila.

Fresh areas of Tangail's five upazilas have been inundated as the Jamuna and its branch rivers keep swelling.

The Jamuna was flowing above 41cm above the danger level yesterday, said Sirajul Islam, executive engineer of WDB in Tangail.

Over 200 houses, roads, other structures and a vast tract of cropland went into rivers in the last couple of days.

"I'm helpless as my house was devoured by the Jamuna a couple of days ago," said Basiton Begum, 55, of Bhairabbari village in Kalihati upazila.

People of the affected areas are travelling by boats as road communications have been disrupted.

"We have been in trouble for several days, but we are yet to get any assistance," said Obhijit Ghosh of Bhuanpur upazila.

However, Deputy Commissioner Ataul Gani said necessary measures have been taken to distribute relief materials.

In Lalmonirhat, all 250 houses of Chilmaripara village in Hatibandha upazila have been gobbled by the Teesta in one month.

"My house, cropland and everything have gone into the river. I don't know how I will run my family now," said Sadequl Islam, 48, of the village.

Around 25 villages of Rangpur's Gangachara upazila have been submerged by floodwater. People of the area moved to safe places.

In Sirajganj, new areas have been flooded as the Jamuna swells. Over 1 lakh people of 25 unions in five upazilas have been marooned.

Many houses and vast areas of Jalalpur village in Shahzadpur have been devoured by the Jamuna.

"Our houses have gone into the river so quickly that I could not save anything of my house," said Amanat Ali, of the village.

Around 60,000 people of Bogura's three upazilas are affected by floods. They are going through hardship due to shortage of drinking water and food.

The Jamuna was overflowing 47cm above the danger level at Sariakandi's Muthurapara around 6:00pm yesterday, according to WDB in Bogura.

In Bhola, over 50 houses and vast areas of land in Rajapur area of Sadar upazila have been devoured by the Meghna in one week.

[Our correspondents in Manikganj, Tangail, Lalmonirhat, Pabna, Bogura, Dinajpur and Barishal contributed to this report.]