Sylhet's Flood Situation Starts Improving

Sylhet residents, struggling with the worst flooding in a decade and a half, may get some respite in a day or two as the water level has begun going down, according to a government agency which monitors flood situations.

Heavy rains and the onrush from upstream had triggered floods that have damaged homes in several parts of the district and intensified food and drinking water crises, according to residents.

Md Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan, executive engineer at the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, or FFWC, told the media that they are already seeing signs of improvements.

“Flood situation won’t worsen. Water levels are going down, the situation will be normal in a day or two,” he said.

t least 13 Upazilas have been flooded, forcing the authorities to open 326 shelters across the district. As many as 7,349 people have taken refuge in 95 centres.

Md Arifuzzaman, however, had said the flooding may worsen in the low-lying areas of Sunamganj in the next few days.

Locals who have taken refuge in shelters said they have been facing a severe food and drinking water crisis as tubewells were flooded underwater and a three-day power cut disrupted the supply.

A sudden onrush of mountain runoff from upstream has affected most of the areas close to the border, causing immense sufferings to residents of the Companiganj, Gowainghat, Jointiapur, Zakiganj and Kanaighat Upazilas.

Floods have also damaged the transport system in those areas, forcing the authorities to close educational institutions.

“Schools were closed for almost two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. They’ve been closed again by the floods,” said Abdul Karim, a resident of Kanaighat Upazila’s Laxmi Prasad Union.

Floodwaters deluged parts of Sylhet after the breaching of 34 dams on the Surma and Kushiyara rivers, said Niloy Pasa, an assistant engineer at the Bangladesh Water Development Board.

After Sadar, Dakshin Surma, Companiganj, Gowainghat, Jointiapur, Zakiganj, Kanaighat and Fenchuganj Upazilas, floodwaters submerged parts of Beanibazar and Golapganj Upazilas.

The water level at the Kanaighat, Sylhet and Sunamganj points of the Surma River was flowing 98 cm, 38 cm and 16 cm above the danger level, respectively, at 9 am on Friday.

In addition to Surma and Kushiyara, the water levels in the major rivers of the Upper Meghna Basin in the northeast of the country are rising and the surge will continue for 24 hours, according to the Flood Forecast and Warning Centre.

The water level of rivers in Sunamganj, Netrokona and Habiganj could flow above the danger level in the next 24 hours.

The authorities have distributed Tk 1.3 million, 234 tonnes of rice and 3,099 packets of dry food among the local people marooned by the floods, the district’s local government official Md Mozibor Rahman said.