Floods hits Sunamganj, Netrakona, North Bengal second time

Within several days of receding flood waters from Sunamganj, Netrakona and North Bengal, different areas of the regions have flooded again due to torrential rain and the onrush of water from upstream.

Sunamganj district town and Chhatak, Doara Bazar and Bishwambarpur upazila are submerged. Though water of the Surma River decreased slightly on Sunday, it increased in haor areas.

Meanwhile, flood water has entered Kalmakanda Sadar upazila of Netrakona again. More than 100 villages of eight unions in the upazila have gone under water. Besides, 20 villages under three unions of Khaliajury upazila of the district have also been flooded. The water level of the Shomeshwari River is flowing above danger level at Kalmakanda point.

The water of the Teesta River is rising rapidly. The Teesta was flowing 25 centimetres above danger level at Dalia point in Nilphamari as of filing of this report.

All the major rivers of Rangpur division are rising while several are flowing above danger level, our correspondents report from the districts.

Sunamganj

The district had gone through floods from June 25 to June 29 for the first time this year due to heavy downpours and onrush from the hills. Then again the water of the Surma crossed the danger level and entered the locality on July 9. In the last 24 hours, 150 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in the region. The Surma was flowing 42 centimetres above the danger level on Sunday morning. It was flowing 52 centimetres above the danger mark on Saturday.

Apart from the Surma, the Jadukata and the Chalti rivers are also flowing above the danger level.

Different areas of the district town, including Nabinagar, Kazir Point, Shologhor, Ukilpara, Hajipara, Boropara, Sab Bari, Teghoriya and Mollikpur, are flooded. Low-lying upazilas are also submerged.

Overflowing water from the Surma River in Sunamganj inundated many villages. Photo: TBS

Sobibur Rahman, executive engineer of Sunamganj Water Development Board, said, "523 millimetres of rainfall in India's Cherrapunji area in the last 24 hours has worsened the flood situation in the district."

Mohammad Abdul Ahad, deputy commissioner of the district, said, "We held an emergency meeting over the situation on Saturday afternoon. We have opened several shelter centres in Chhatak, Doara Bazar and Bishwambarpur, where more than 550 families have taken shelter. Besides, we have opened information centres in every affected upazila."

The district administration distributed dry food among 1,500 flood affected families on Saturday.

Netrakona

Villagers in more than 100 villages under eight unions of Kalmakanda Sadar upazila have been marooned for three days. The unions are Kalmakanda Sadar, Borokhapon, Rangchhati, Kharnoi, Nazirpur, Koilati, Pogla and Lengura.

Communication between the district town and Kalmakanda upazila is halted as several areas of Kalmakanda-Netrakona road and Paboi-Netrakona road have gone under water. Besides, most roads, including Kalmakanda-Borokhapon, Kalmakanda-Panchgaon, Kalmakanda-Kharnoi and Kalmakanda-Bishorpasha, are flooded.

Flood water has entered Kalmakanda Upazila Parishad Complex and the residence of the upazila nirbahi officer. Thana Road, Shib Mandir, Basaura, Monthola, Chanpur Road, Chatrangpur, Nayapara and Purba Bazar of the Sadar upazila have also become inundated.

Residents of the areas are suffering from a shortage of drinking water. Several families of the upazila Sadar have taken shelter in Kalmakanda Government High School.

Hadisujjaman Talukdar, chairman of Borokhapon union, said, 37 villages of the union have been inundated. All the roads have gone under water and fishes of most of the ponds have been washed away, he added.

Sohel Rana, Kalmakanda upazila nirbahi officer, said, "Different educational institutes have been prepared for giving shelter to people. If the flood lingers, people will be shifted to shelter centres. We are monitoring the situation."

Kurigram

Flood water started to enter the low-lying areas of Kurigram on Saturday evening as the major rivers of the district are flowing above the danger level.

According to Kurigram Water Development Board, the Dharala was flowing 64 centimetres above the danger level at Dharala Bridge Point in Kurigram Sadar upazia, while the Teesta was flowing two centimetres above the danger level at Kaunia Ghat Point in Kaunia upazila of Rangpur.

People take resort on streets as their houses get flooded. Photo: TBS

The Dudhkumar River was flowing 25 centimetres above the danger level at Noonkhaoa Point in Kurigram Sadar upazila and the Brahmaputra was flowing 22 centimetres above the danger mark at Chilmari Ghat Point in Chilmari upazila of Kurigram.

Lalmonirhat

The Teesta is rising. The Water Development Board in the region has opened 44 sluice gates of the Teesta Barrage to keep the water level under control. Opening of all the sluice gates of India's Gazaldoba Barrage is one of the causes behind the swelling of the Teesta.

Meanwhile, people of Aditmari, Kaliganj, Hatibandha and Sadar upazila of Lalmonirhat have been marooned due to the flood. However, the Dharala is still flowing below the danger level. 

Nilphamari

Rabiul Islam, executive engineer of the Teesta Barrage at Dalia Point in Nilphamari, said the rising of the water level was continuing.

Ariful Islam, executive engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board, said around 40,000 residents of 13 unions in Nilphamari's Dimla, Jaldhaka, Domar and Kishoreganj upazila have been marooned since early Sunday.

He said, "There is a possibility of two more heavy rainfalls ahead. More areas might get flooded due to the rains."

Rangpur

Mehedi Hasan, executive engineer of Rangpur Water Development Board, said, "The rising trend of all the major rivers in Rangpur is continuing and the water will increase more in the next two days."'

Most of the villages under 15 unions of Pirgachha, Gangachhara and Kaunia upazila of Rangpur have been flooded.

Flood water started to enter the areas after 12:00 midnight on Saturday.

Mehedi Hasan said 30 roads of these unions have been partially damaged due to the flood.