More areas flooded in Sylhet region

Floods triggered by rain also damaged vast IRRI-Boro lands in Brahmanbaria, Netrakona and Habiganj.

Our Staff Correspondent in Sylhet reported that at least 60 per cent IRRI-Boro croplands have reeled under water in Sylhet, Sumanganj Moulvibazar as waters were gushing out through several breaches in embankments of the Surma and the Kushiyara. The two rivers rose further yesterday at all points amid scattered intermittent rains.

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More areas have gone under water in Jakiganj, Kanaighat, Gowainghat, Beanibazar, Jaintapur, Companiganj and Golapganj upazilas. In Gowainghat upazila, at least 80 per cent paddy has been damaged.

Educational institutions have been closed in Jakiganj upazila.

Water Resources Minister Hafij Uddin Ahmed is likely to visit the flood affected areas of Sunamganj today, said an official.

The Sylhet bound inter-city train Jayantika Express from Dhaka was detained at Lauachhara between Srimangal and Bhanuigachh stations for about six hours since 7 PM Monday as landslide and trees uprooted by storm blocked the track.

Train movement resumed at about 1 AM Monday after the track was cleared, railway officials said yesterday.

Inter-city Udayan Express and others trains were also detained at different stations for several hours due to the disruption.

The swelling Surma was flowing five centimetres above the red mark in Sylhet city, 207 centimetres at Amolshid in Jakiganj and 149 centimetres above the mark at Kanaighat yesterday noon.

This is the highest rise of the river at this time of the year in several years, Water Development Board (WDB) officials said.

The Kushiyara was flowing 83 centimetres above the mark at Sheola in Beanibazar upazila.

In Jakiganj, floodwater is gushing out through several breaches in embankments of the Surma and the Kushiyara. Local people when contacted claimed that there have been about 40 breaches in the embankments in the upazila.

The Executive Engineer of WDB told The Daily Star yesterday afternoon that the rivers breached embankments at Atgram, Manikpur, Shah Sharif Majar and several other points.

The WDB Chief Engineer visited the affected areas in Sylhet on Sunday.

The situation is more precarious in Sunamganj as flood waters engulfed more areas in 24 of the 28 big haors and damaged ready-for-harvest crops. The worst affected areas are Jamalganj and Tahirpur upazilas.

Water is flowing through at least 40 breaches in embankments of haors in Derai, Shulla, Dharampasha and Chhatak upazilas.

A WDB official said the average height of embankments in Sunamganj haors is 7.5 metres, which can not sustain the pressure of rolling water.

Ruling party Whip Fazlul Haque Aspia visited some flooded haors in the district.

The Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner when contacted said flood waters will touch homesteads if the rise continues. Boro paddy worth over Tk 400 crore has already gone under water in the district, he said. Boro is the main cash cropo in the low lying region.

The floods have stopped extraction of stone and sand in all the quarries in the district, making at least over 60,000 labourers unemployed, he said.

Our Brahmanbaria correspondent Reports:

Paddy on at least 5,000 acres is low-lying areas of Nasirmagar and Nobinagar upazilas of the district have gone under water following downpours on Saturday and Sunday.

On Sunday, a storm battered Nasirnagar damaging houses and uprooting trees and two electric poles. Power supply was snapped.

Our Netrakona Correspondent reports: IRRI-Boro paddy on at least 30,000 hectares have gone under water due to flash flood in Khaliajuri and Mohongonj upazilas, caused by onrush of hill waters from across the border and three days' rains, officials said.

Water levels of Donu and Kongshu rivers have recorded sharp rise.

Breaches in dams at Asharkona and Kirthonkola have inundated Boro fields in Pangasha, Kotichapra, Kirtonkola, Nayabanda, Sonatala and Lakmipasha areas.

Water from Kongshu river inundated at least 15,000 hectares in Dubail and Mardia hoars in Mohongonj upazila

A Correspondent in Habiganj reports:

IRRI-Boro crops on at least 20,000 acres have beern damaged in Habiganj, Nabiganj and Banjachang upazilas in the district due to rains in the last four days, officials said.

The Khwai is swelling at all points due to onrush of water from across the border.