Rain worsens floods in northeast

The flood situation in Sylhet and Sunamganj has worsened for excessive torrential rain in the districts and India's Meghalaya and Assam.

In Sylhet, Gowainghat, Kanaighat, Companiganj, Jaintiapur, and Sylhet Sadar upazilas are the worst hit by the flood.

Thousands of people in the low-lying areas remained marooned in the district.

In Sunamganj, the situation is worse in Chhatak and Dowarabazar upazilas along with Tahirpur, Bishwambazarpur, Sunamganj Sadar upazilas and municipality area.

Eighty families of Chhatak upazila have been taken to six shelter centres in the upazila, said Shafiqul Islam, relief and rehabilitation officer in Sunamganj.

A total of 245 tonnes of rice have been allotted for the people of the flood-affected areas, he said.

Meanwhile, 298 tonnes of rice have been allotted for flood-affected people in Sylhet district, said, Nurul Islam, relief and rehabilitation officer in Sylhet.

According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the Surma, the Sarigowain and the Someshwari rivers are flowing above the danger level since early Wednesday.

The Surma was flowing 114cm above the danger level in Sylhet's Kanaighat point at 3:00 pm yesterday.

The river at the same time was flowing 8cm above the danger level at Sylhet city point and 35cm above the danger level at Sunamganj town point.

The Sarigowain river on the other hand was flowing 55cm above the danger level at Sarighat point in Sylhet's Jaintiapur upazila while the Someswari river at Netrokona's Kalmakanda point was flowing 39cm above the danger level.

According to the FFWC, 238mm of rainfall was recorded in Sylhet's Jaflong in the 24 hours till yesterday 9:00am while 225mm at Lalakhal in Sylhet and 120mm in Laurergarh in Sunamganj was recorded.

At the same time, 812mm of rainfall was recorded at Cherrapuji in India's Meghalaya and 170mm of rainfall in Dhubri of India's Assam.

The FFWC report also stated that the flood situation will worsen in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona districts in the next 24 hours till this morning.

Earlier on May 11, a flash flood was triggered in the districts affecting all 13 upazilas in Sylhet and 5 upazilas in Sunamganj.