Over 40 lakh people marooned in Sylhet, Sunamganj
More than 40 lakh people in Sunamganj and Sylhet have been marooned due to heavy showers and continuous onrush of water from upstream areas in India.
Almost 90% of Sylhet division is now under flood water, informed its Divisional Commissioner Dr Muhammad Mosharraf Hossain to The Business Standard.
He said that power supply disruptions coupled with the unavailability of mobile phone networks have added to the woes of the already suffering.
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He noted that the local administration, overcoming all obstacles posed by the flood, is doing its best to rescue the flood-affected people and ensure their safety.
Several units of the Bangladesh Army started rescue operations in flood-hit Sylhet and Sunamganj districts on Friday afternoon
Bangladesh Navy joined the rescue efforts on Saturday.
General Officer Commanding and Area Commander Sylhet area Major General Hamidul Haque said that total 17 units of the army have divided themselves among different teams and are operating throughout Sylhet and Sunamganj.
"A para commando unit has also been deployed for the rescue efforts," he added.
Also, the Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed is expected to visit and inspect the flood-affected areas of Sylhet today (19 June) noon, he said.
Meanwhile, according to the Sylhet Water Development Board sources, water level of River Surma has gone down at the Sylhet point as the region did not see any rain this morning (as of 12pm on Sunday) after almost 10 days of nonstop showers.
However, the river swelled up at the Kanaighat point and water levels of the other rivers in the region are still on the rise, they added.
