Fresh areas flooded

Slight improvement in four districts

23 August 2009, 17:00 PM

Star National Desk

A woman and a man wade through floodwater in Barakhapon union of Kalamkanda upazila of Netrakona district, right, residents try to recover parts of their house that collapsed during flood in Kachchir area of Kurigram Sadar upazila. PHOTO: STAR/ BANGLAR CHOKH

The flood situation yesterday worsened further in Netrakona, Sirajganj, Gaibandha, Bogra and Satkhira while marked a slight improvement in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Thakurgaon. According to Flood forecasting and Warning Centre of Bangladesh Water Development Board, the prevailing flood situation in the northeastern districts may get worse further in the next 2-3 days. In Netrakona, fresh areas in seven upazilas of the district have been inundated, leaving at least 35,000 people marooned, according to our correspondent. The upazilas are Durgapur, Kalmakanda, Atpara, Madan, Mohongonj, Khaliajuri and Netrakona Sadar upazila. Water Development Board(WDB) sources said four major rivers of the district--Sumeshwari, Kongsha, Mogra and Dhanu--were flowing above the danger level yesterday afternoon. Durgapur--Raniganj road, the only link road between Durgapur upazila headquarters and bordering villages of the upazila has gone under 3 to 4 feet water. As a result, people of the bordering areas are unable to communicate with Durgapur upazila headquarters and others parts of the country. Our Sirajganj correspondent reported that flood engulfed more new areas in Sirajganj Sadar, Belkuchi, Shahzadpur, Chowhali and Kazipur upazilas. WDB official sources said though the Jamuna was flowing under the danger mark yesterday, the flood situation in the district is likely to deteriorate in the next two days. Fresh areas in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha district have been submerged as the river Karotoa marked a rise and was flowing 46cm above the danger mark yesterday, reports our correspondent. Gobindaganj-Dinajpur road has gone under knee to waist deep water at Khalshi and Tarafmanu points. Traffic movement on this road remained suspended from Saturday afternoon. Three more unions in Sunderganj upazila have been flooded as water entered through 200 metres breached portion of the flood control embankment at Dakkhin Shabajpur. At least 20,000 people have been marooned in six flood affected unions of Palashbari upazila, said Upazila Chairman AKM Moksud Chowdhury. Our staff correspondent from Bogra says: Bangali River yesterday swelled further, submerging the areas along the banks of the river at Sonatola, Sariakandi and Dhunat. Executive engineer of the Water Development Board (WDB) Md Momtaz Uddin said the Jamuna fell by 6 cm at Sariakandi point yesterday morning and was flowing 42cm above the danger mark. The water level of the Bangali River rose by 11cm and was flowing 26 cm above the danger mark at the same point. Chairman of Kuturpur Union Parishad Tozammel Haque Madhu said as water entered through the flood embankment in Kornibari area, about 250 families have taken shelter on the new embankment. In Satkhira, at least 15 villages under Sadar upazila have been inundated as water from Betrabati river entered the areas, overflowing its banks, reports our correspondent Flood water also entered Jhhowdanga Bazar and Akhrakhola Bazar in Sadar upazila, forcing the traders to shut their shops. Jhhowdanga-Rajbari road and Duttabag--Akhrakhola road have gone under water, halting traffic on the two roads. The situation marked improvement in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon and Kurigram with recession of water levels of all rivers flowing through the districts, according to our correspondents. Many of the flood victims are expected to return their homes from temporary flood shelters within the next two to three days.