Diseases spread in flood-hit areas

The waterborne diseases are spreading in some areas while river erosion taking devastating turn in few other in the country's flood-hit northern region.

Fresh areas in some districts have been submerged as the third spell of flood hit the region.

In Kurigram, food situation further deteriorated yesterday as both the Brahmaputra and the Dharla rivers were flowing above the danger level.

It has caused rise of water level of 16 other branch rivers in the district.

Many people are still waterlogged, while many others have left their homes and staying on roads, dykes, flood shelters or other higher places.

At the same time, various waterborne diseases, including diarrhea, are spreading in the flood affected areas.

"I, along with my family members, have been living in a polythene-wrapped hut since July 10 as our house was submerged. We are passing days amid untold sufferings without sufficient food and drinking water," said Fatema Begum, 58, of Char Sonaigazi in Phulbari upazila.

Farhad Hossain of Char Sajai in the same upazila said, "Several members of our family, including my one-and-a-half-year-old child, are suffering from diarrhoea. Most of the families in this area are facing similar disease."

Aminur Rahman, 50, a volunteer from Char Kodalkati Mandalpara area in Char Rajibpur upazila, told The Daily Star that he had brought some saline and water purification tablets from local health complex and bought some at his own expense. He is distributing these among the victims.

The district's civil surgeon Dr Habibur Rahman said, "So far, we have identified 55 diarrhoea cases and we have provided medical services. A 35-member special medical team has been deployed to offer medical facilities to the victims."

In Tangail, although water of the major rivers including the Jamuna, the Dhaleswari and the Jhenai have started receding, but floodwater kept destroying infrastructures in some areas.

In a third similar incident, a bridge was washed away by floodwater on Ghuni canal on Goihata-Singjore road in Nagarpur upazila on Wednesday morning.

As a result, road communication of six local villages through the bridge has been disrupted causing immense suffering to people.

The district's Deputy Commissioner Ataul Gani instantly visited the spot and directed authorities concerned to arrange alternative measures for facilitating movements of the villagers.

Earlier on Tuesday, a bridge on the Jhenai river in Basail upazila's Dapnazar area collapsed due to strong current of the river.

On July 16, another bridge on a canal at Basail-Natiapara road in Kanchanpur area in Basail upazila collapsed.

In Jamalpur, third phase of flood has started since Wednesday and the Jamuna has kept continuing swelling up above the danger mark, worsening overall flood situation in the district.

The Jamuna was flowing 97 cm above the danger mark at Bahadurabad point yesterday noon and it would continue rising. Around 10 lakh people of seven upazilas and eight municipalities have remained marooned, according to local officials concerned.

In Bogura and Gaibandha, fresh areas have been submerged as flood hits third time as the Banglai river is flowing above the danger level.

Thousands of people, living densely on both sides of the Bangali river, are likely to face flood for the first time in Bogura's Sariakandi, Gabtali, Shajahanpur, Dhunat and Sherpur upazilas.

The water will increases for next two days or more. Over, 1.27 people in the district are affected by flood, said local government officials concerned.

In Gaibandha, water of the major rivers in the district are increasing. The Brahmaputra was flowing 87 cm above of the danger level at the Fulchari point, the Ghaghat was flowing 66 cm above of the danger level at the Gaibandha point and the Karatoya was flowing 40 cm above of the danger level at the Katakhali point yesterday.

In Munshiganj, water level in the Padma was flowing 67 cm above the danger mark in Bhagyakul yesterday.

Around 24,000 families under 130 villages have become flood victims.

The rise of water level will fluctuate in this week and it may cause serious river erosion, said local WDB officials.

Our Lalmonirhat, Tangail, Jamalpur and Bogura correspondents contributed to this report.