Indian Dyke Collapse
Dahagram-Angorpota people marooned
Flood situation in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Jamalpur worsens
About 3,000 people at Dahagram-Angorpota enclave in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat district have been marooned in flood water for the last four days as an Indian flood control dyke in Holdibari area in Jalpaiguri district of Paschimbanga collapsed.
Dahagram-Angorpota Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Habibur Rahman said, following the collapse, the flood water entered some villages of his union marooning the people.
The water from India entered the villages -- Abuler Char, Barobari, Sarder Para, Munsi Para, Adorsho Gram, Mohim Para, Quadere Char, Kati Para, Syed Para, Guchchho Gram and Noyarhat -- of the union.
Talking to The Daily Star, the villagers said they faced a sudden flood and their homesteads were washed away by the upstream water.
Azizar Rahman, 55, of Barobari village, said, "The Indian dyke, only quarter kilometre away from us, collapsed due to onrush of water from the upstream on Wednesday morning.”
The UP chairman also said the flood-hit people have been facing untold sufferings and most of them have taken shelter at safer places with their domestic animals.
The UP chairman distributed dry food among the victims.
Lalmonirhat Water Development Board Executive Engineer Enayet Ullah said he was informed of the incident.
BSS from Rangpur reports, the flood situation deteriorated further as major rivers crossed the danger mark at more points along the Brahmaputra basin during the last 24 hours till 6:00am yesterday marooning over 7.5 lakh people.
The situation worsened due to continuous onrush of hilly waters from the upstream amid almost no rainfalls in the downstream during the period, officials in Water Development Board (WDB) said.
Sources in the WDB said the Dharla and Ghaghot were flowing above their respective danger mark (DM) by 18cm at Kurigram and 26cm at Gaibandha at 6:00am yesterday following further rises in their water levels.
Talking to the news agency, sources in Kurigram district administration said over six lakh people of 1,46,262 families were marooned partially or totally in 65 unions out of total 71 under all nine upazilas in the district.
During the current season, river erosions have affected 9,502 families and five persons including children drowned in flood waters so far in Kurigram, sources said.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer of Gaibandha Shah Alam said floodwaters inundated some low-lying areas in four upazilas again in the district where four people including babies drowned so far.
"After distribution of 491 tonnes rice and 15 lakh Taka so far, we have 15 lakh Taka and 500 tonnes rice and sought allocation of one crore Taka and 5,000 bundles corrugated iron sheets for construction of houses for erosion-hit families," he added.
In Jamalpur, with the increase of water level of the river Jamuna, flood situation slightly deteriorated in different areas of the district.
Water Development Board sources said during last 24 hours till yesterday Jamuna rose by 10cm and was flowing 44cm above danger level at Bahadurabad ghat point.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Office sources said six unions in Islampur upazila and four unions in Dewanganj upazila inundated completely by the fresh floodwater.
Due to the increase of water level fresh areas were submerged in two upazilas.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Islampur, Anwar Hossain Akanda said, 30 to 60 percent people of the six unions became marooned by the floodwater.
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