Sylhet, Sunamganj floods: Major rivers rising again

The flood situation in the country's northeast region has started to deteriorate as the water levels of three major rivers – Surma, Kushiyara and Lova – are again on the rise due to water rushing down from upstream.

The worst floodwaters in Sylhet have not receded yet and most areas of the district still remain submerged. Then on Wednesday, the major rivers in the region began swelling again with heavy rains in India's Meghalaya since Monday.

Panic gripped people in the two flood-hit districts as the water level started rising again in Sunamganj and Sylhet.

According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB-Sylhet), the Surma's water level increased 29cm at Kanaighat point, 16cm at Sylhet point, and 10cm at Sunamganj point from Tuesday evening till 12pm on Wednesday.

Several upazilas of both Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, including Sylhet city, remain under floodwaters and now many houses in low-lying areas are flooded afresh by water rushing down from hills.

To make the flood situation in the region worse, the Kushiyara and Lova rivers are also swelling up. With this latest development, new areas of the region are expected to go underwater in the next few days.

Meanwhile, most areas of the city were submerged with heavy rains on Tuesday night. Many areas – including Upashohor, Taltala, Terorton, Jamtala, and Mirzajangal – are now submerged in floodwaters causing immense suffering to local residents.

Masuk Amin, a resident of Sylhet Upashohor, said water receded from his home hardly two days ago after 10 days. But roads in the area were flooded again on Tuesday night and there will be no limit to the suffering if water enters homes again.

Nilanjan Das Tuku, a businessman from Kalighat area of ​​the city, was also hit by flood waters on Tuesday night.

"After 8/9 days of flooding, water receded from the shop last Monday. Water entered the houses again last night. Flood waters have hit the city three times in the span of one month," Tuku said.

Speaking with The Business Standard, BWDB (Sylhet) Deputy Assistant Engineer AKM Niloy Pasha, said "It has been raining quite heavily since Monday in India's Meghalaya and it has also started raining again in Sylhet, so the rivers here are swelling up."

Nur Azizur Rahman, chief engineer of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC), said, "All the wetland water bodies are full, so a little rain on Tuesday caused water logging in the city as it had nowhere to go."

"However, the situation improved after the rain stopped."

According to the Met Office bulletin issued on Wednesday, "Light to moderate rain/thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely in most places of Rangpur, Mymensingh & Sylhet divisions; In many places of Rajshahi, Dhaka, Barishal & Chattogram divisions including a few places in Khulna division, moderately heavy to heavy rainfall is likely in places across the country."

Meanwhile, many areas in Dowarabazar and Chhatak upazilas of Sunamganj district are already submerged due to previous flooding and some areas in these upazilas have been newly flooded on Wednesday as there is no place for the flood waters to drain to.

Zahurul Islam, executive engineer of BWDB-Sunamganj, said it has been raining in Meghalaya of India since Monday, causing increasing water levels in rivers at Sunamganj point.