5 Die In Sherpur Floods, Army Rescue Ops Underway

The flood situation in Sherpur has worsened due to the heavy rains and hilly floods coming down from Meghalaya, India. After the districts of Sreebardi, Jhenaigati, and Nalitabari, water levels are rising anew in the Sadar and Nakla upazilas, affecting nearly two hundred thousand people in the district.

So far, five individuals—including women, elderly people, and teenagers—have died due to drowning in the floodwaters. Rescue operations are underway, involving the army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Fire Service, and various volunteer organizations.

Additionally, hundreds of fish ponds have been swept away by the floodwaters, along with houses, trees, livestock, and several major highways and numerous rural roads being severely damaged. Many areas have become isolated, leading to a shortage of food and clean drinking water.

Reports indicate that heavy rainfall started after 9 PM on Thursday night, causing the water levels of various rivers in the district to exceed danger levels. Floodwaters surged into local areas as riverbanks overflowed and many embankments broke. By morning, homes, roads, and pathways were submerged, leaving people in a state of panic. Many educational institutions and healthcare facilities were also inundated, affecting at least seven unions in the Jhenaigati upazila.

Apart from the border hills of Nalitabari, other riverbank unions and low-lying areas also faced flooding. While the intensity of water in the hilly rivers has somewhat decreased since Friday night, new areas in the lowlands are becoming submerged. Overall, at least ten unions in the upazila have been affected.

In the Shreebordhi upazila, three unions have been completely flooded. The situation worsened after the rains and hilly floods on Saturday night, leading to flooding in approximately thirty villages in Sadar upazila, including Gajirkhama, Dhala, Pakuria, and Bajitkhila unions. Thousands of people are trapped by the rising waters, and nearly five unions in the Nakla upazila are also experiencing similar conditions.

On Friday afternoon, Hatem Ali (30) and his brother Alamgir (16) from the Abhaypur village went missing in the flooded Chhellakhali river. Their bodies were recovered on Saturday afternoon from a rice field in the Kutubakura village after the water receded. Similarly, Omija Begum, the wife of Manik Miah from the Balurchar village, drowned in the flood that same day. An elderly man, Idris Ali, also drowned in the Khalisakura village on the same evening. Another person is still missing, with details about their identity yet to be confirmed.

In response, rescue operations have been ongoing since Friday, involving the army, Fire Service, BGB, and various volunteer organizations. Throughout Saturday, rescue efforts were carried out using speedboats, boats, rafts, and tubes to reach those stranded by the floods. Dry food and other essential supplies are being distributed to the affected people, with participation from local administrations and various political parties and organizations.