70,000 marooned in Moulvibazar

One Abbas Mia of Longurpar village in Komolganj, swept by water, is still missing, police and local people said.

Sylhet's railway link with Dhaka and Chittagong may be snapped any time as a bridge (No-182) near Bhanugachh railway station is under water.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

The railway track between Bhanugachh and Shamsernagar stations are under water. Trains moved over the tracks with caution Thursday night, railway sources said.

Srimongal-Kulaura and Moulvibazar-Kamalgonj road links were cut off yesterday as those went under water at many points.

The situation may deteriorate as water is gushing through several breached embankments of the Dholai and the Monu rivers, swelled by three days' rain and waters rolling from the upstream across the border, Water Development Board (WDB) officials at Moulvibazar and local people said yesterday.

They said Dhalai and Monu were flowing two feet and three feet above their respective danger marks at noon yesterday.

The Dholai breached its embankments at Uzirpur, Kumrakapon, Mokabil, Ghoramara and several other points. The Dholai had breached its embankments at several points during the April flash flood, but were not repaired.

The Monu breached its embankment at least at three points in Tengra, Tilagaon and Sharifpur unions, flooding most areas of Rajnagar and Kulaura upazilas. The embankment is threatened at some other points as the river is swelling, the officials said.

People of the affected areas have left homes and taken shelter in high lands.

Deputy Commissioner Md Mukhlesur Rahman and Police Superintendent Rawshan Ara Begum visited the flood affected areas of Kamalgonj upazila yesterday.

So far, 15 tonnes of rice, Tk 10,000 worth of chira (dry food) and sarees and lunghis worth Tk 10,000 have been distributed as relief in Kamalgonj upazila.

The WDB officials said they have reports that the two rivers have started receding in the upstream. They may start falling in Moulvibazar in a day or two if there is no more rain, they said.