30 thousand marooned in Lamonirhat, Nilphamari

Flash floods triggered by sudden onrush of water from the upstream across the border marooned at least 30 thousand people in Nilphamari and Lalmonirhat districts in last two days.

Water from the upstream started rushing into Bangladesh areas on Wednesday night as the Indian authorities opened all the gates of their Gajaldoba Barrage, situated in the upstream of Bangladesh's Teesta Barrage in Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat, to release 'excess' water, reports our Lalmonirhat correspondent.

The Teesta River was flowing 35 centimetres above the danger level at Teesta Barrage point yesterday morning, Water Development Board (WDB) officials said, adding that at least 20 thousand people of five thousand families were marooned in 30 villages of Patgram, Hatibandha and Kaliganj upazilas under Lalmonirhat district.

At least 45 houses at Teesta char villages Gaddimari, Saniazan, Dowani and Dawabari were washed away due to sudden onrush of water from the upstream, local sources said.

The flood affected unions are Dahagram, Kuchlibari of Patgram upazila, Gaddimari, Saniazan, dawabari, Sindurna of Hatibandha upazila, Bhotmari of Kaliganj upazila in Lalmonirhat, WDB sources said.

People wade through knee-deep water at Chhotokhata village in Khalisha Chapani union of Dimla upazila under Nilphamari district yesterday as flash floods triggered by the sudden rise of water in the Teesta River inundated large areas in the two districts since Wednesday evening. PHOTO: STAR

"Many people went to safe shelters after the WDB officials arranged announcement through loudspeakers to warn us of the flash flood on Wednesday night," said Soleman Ali, 55, a resident at Teesta River basin char Gaddimari village in Hatibandha upazila.

"The Teesta water started receding in its northern part today [Thursday] afternoon and so, the people living in the downstream of the Teesta Barrage may face flash flood," said Mostafizur Rahman, executive engineer of WDB at Dalia office.

Our Nilphamari Correspondent reports: At least 10,000 people have become marooned in low lying areas of Dimla and Jaldhaka upazilas under the district as swelling Teesta River caused flash flood there from Wednesday evening.

 The Teesta was flowing 35 centimetres above the danger mark at Dalia barrage point in yesterday afternoon, said Fazlul Huque, sub divisional engineer of WDB at Dalia in Nilphamari district.

The huge current damaged about 100 metre portion of the embankment on the Teesta River at Dauabari village in Jaldhaka upazila and WDB men are trying hard to save the embankment by putting concrete blocks and sandbags, said sources.

Most affected villages are Purbo Kharibari, Char Kharibari, Kisamot Chhatnai, Doholpara, Baishpukur, Bhasanir Char, Fakrater Char, Jharshinherswar, and Bhendabari villages of Dimla upazila and Bhaban Chur and Gopal Jhar, Dauabari, Jhunaghachh Chapani, Golmunda, Sholmari and Koimari of Jaldhaka upazila.

The marooned people are suffering from want of food and drinking water.

Agriculture officials of Dimla and Jaldhaka upazilas informed that 500 hectares of maize, paddy and vegetable fields and aman seedbeds have become affected by the flood.

Mostafizur Rahman, executive engineer of WDB at Dalia, said they arranged announcements through loudspeakers, asking people to move to safer places as the flooding by the Teesta turned alarming.

"We have asked the union parishad chairmen of the flooded areas to prepare lists of the affected people to provide them food and other support," said Tajul Islam, district relief and rehabilitation officer.