1.5 lakh marooned as nine Sirajganj upazilas flooded

Two schoolgirls wading through waist-deep flood water in Ratankandi in Sirajganj Sadar upazila. Nine upazilas of the district have been affected in the third onslaught of flood this season. PHOTO: STAR

Over 1.5 lakh people in shoals of Jamuna, Karotoa and Fhulzhar rivers have become marooned in the third onslaught of flood in the district in the current season.

At least four minor boys drowned in floodwaters in the last two days. They are Asadul, 9, of Khas Rajbari village and Ujjal, 5, of Kumerbari in Kazipur upazila; Siam, 4, of Dabaria village in Shahzadpur upazila, and Mosharaf, 2, of Delmura village in Rayganj upazila.

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The worst affected areas are Meghai, Shuvogacha, Gandhail, Kuralia and Shimanto Bazar in Kazipur upazila; Rantankandi, Bahuka, Shimla, Khokshabari, Songacha, Bahuli and Ranigram in Sadar upazila; Bhuiganti, Nalka and Dhangara in Raigang upazila; Naogaon, Kachikata, Magura-Bindopur in Challan Beel area in Tarash upazila; Shalanga, Salop, Sreekhola, Mahonpur in Ullapara upazila; Baghabari, Talgachi, Chobila in Shahjadpur upazila; Zoknala, Tamai, Randhunibari, Shahbajpur, Chala in Belkuchi upazila; Betil, Enayetpur, Ghorjan in Chauhali upazila. Areas of Sirajganj, Shahzadpur, Kazipur, Belkuchi and Ullapara pourashava have also reeled under water.

Waterborne diseases have broken out in some areas due to lack of drinking water.

About 2000 weaving factories have been closed as those have been inundated.

According to District Relief and Rehabilitation Office (DRRO), at least 8000 houses in the low-laying areas have been fully or partly damaged by the flood that inundated transplanted Aman seedlings on 7,921 hectares of land.

Officials said 43 educational institutions have been damaged. These include Tenglahata Degree College, Tenglahata Primary School, Banglabazar Primary School in Kazipur.

The flood affected people in different area blamed the local Water Development Board (WDB) authorities, saying the areas were flooded again at they did not repair the breached embankments of rivers.