Suffering Mounts as Flood Water Starts Receding

Although floodwater have started receding, people are in a dire situation due to river erosion and the collapse of houses. Many people are still staying in shelters and dams. Relief assistance is also inadequate.

The drinking water crisis is intensifying gradually. The sanitation system in the flood-hit areas has collapsed. There has been a cow-feed crisis. River erosion is creating new crises.

This year, about 24,140 square kilometers area has been flooded with 41 casualties in floods so far.

Although a total of 33 districts have been affected by the floods this time, the Ministry of Disaster Management is still saying that 17 districts have been affected by the floods. As many as 60,000 people are still living in shelters. More than 64,000 cattle have been kept in the shelter. 409 medical teams are working.

The total number of flood-affected districts is 33. Upazila 171. Union one thousand 72. The number of waterlogged families is nine lakh 53 thousand 940. The number of affected people is 55 lakh, 15 thousand 26 people.

Kurigram is one of the worst affected districts in the north. Abu Hanif, chairman of Nayarhat union of Chilmari Upazila. He said the houses of 300 out of 6,000 families in his area were completely destroyed. Many more barracks have been partially damaged. And 25 percent of the cropland has accumulated sand. It will be difficult to grow crops there in the future. The cattle food crisis is intensifying. And the drinking water and sanitation system is broken. "There is not much relief," he said. NGOs are not ahead. ''The government has given 10 kg of rice to 3,000 families before Eid.''

The victims of river erosion in the area and those whose houses have collapsed are still in the shelter. Those who have returned are not able to repair their houses.

The picture of other flood-hit areas of the country is more or less the same.

Flood forecasting and warning center executive engineer. Arifuzzaman Bhuiyan said the flood situation was improving. The water level of major rivers is rapidly declining. The situation is improving rapidly, especially in the north. Central and Dhaka are slowly improving.

Now the rainwater is the interior of Bangladesh. Upstream Assam and Meghalaya have not received rain for several days.

Meteorologist Abdur Rahman of the Dhaka Meteorological Office said there would be more rain in the next three to four days. But it will stop. Then there will be normal monsoon rains. He said the river water is declining due to a lack of rainfall upstream.

According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center, water levels in 62 rivers across the country are declining. The water of 24 rivers is still rising slightly. And the water of five rivers remains unchanged. The waters of 16 rivers are still above danger. These include Dharla, Brahmaputra, Atrai, Jamuna, Titas, Meghna, Padma, Turag, Dhaleshwari, etc.

According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, 14 thousand 410 May in the flood-affected areas so far. Tons of rice have been allocated. Three crores 44 lakh 50 thousand has been allocated. One lakh 52 thousand packets of dry food, two crore 7 lakh taka for purchase of cow feed, one crore 10 lakh Dhaka for baby food, house construction grant of 90 lakh taka and 300 bundles of corrugated iron have been allocated. However, more than half of the allocation has not been distributed yet.

Source: DW Bangla
Translator: Apurbo Roy