Flash floods maroon thousands

Incessant rains for the last three days have triggered flood in parts of Chattorgram, Feni, Sylhet and Moulvibazar districts, leaving several thousand people marooned, reports UNB.

In Chattogram, severe flooding was reported on Wednesday from Hathazari, Raozan and Fatikchhari upazilas of the district.

In Hathazari, regional roads, fish enclosures, houses and business establishments were submerged by the rainwater.

Hathazari-Rangamati, Hathazari-Khagrachhari and Hathazari-Oxygen roads also got inundated, causing immense suffering to commuters.

Hathazari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Akterunnesa Sheuli said the local administration has taken all-out preparations to tackle any kind of natural disaster.

The inhabitants of low-lying areas have been asked to take shelter in local educational institutions, she said.

In Raozan, heavy rains flooded many low-lying areas in the upazila, leaving 0.1 million people in six unions -- Haldia, Dabua, Chikdair, Ghahira, Noajishpur, Purbagujra and Raozan -- marooned.

Shamim Hossain, UNO of Raozan upazila, said onrush of water from hills and persistent rains for the last three days submerged six unions of the upazila.

A total of 24 shelter centres have been opened in the area, he added.

Besides, the leave of all the employees and staff of the local administration were cancelled and all of them asked to remain in their workplaces round the clock, the UNO added.

In Fatikchhari upazila, 50 villages were inundated by floodwater, rendering 0.3 million people marooned.

Khurshid Alam, Gauge Station officer of Water Development Board in Narayanhat, said the water in the Halda River has been flowing 5.90 centimetres above the water level until 6.0pm on Tuesday.

In Moulvibazar, embankment on the Monu River at Sharifpur union in Kulaura upazila cracked at four points, flooding vast areas and rendering 3,000 people marooned.

Executive engineer of the local Water Development Board Ronendra Shongkar Chakraborti said the Monu River water was flowing 173 centimetres above the danger level.

In Kamarganj upazila, 50 villages were flooded as embankment on the Dhalai River developed cracks at eight points due to incessant rain and onrush of water from hills.

In Feni, 17 villages in Parshuram and Fulgazi upazilas were flooded by the onrush of water from upstream and rain, rendering several thousand people marooned.

WDB executive engineer Kohinur Alam said the Muhuri River at Parshuram point was flowing 80cm above the danger level at 6pm on Tuesday.

Parshuram pourashava mayor Nizamuddin Chowhdury Sajel said vast tracts of land have been flooded due to the collapse of dyke at Sahar Para village in the poura area.

In Sylhet, three unions in Jaintapur upazila were inundated by floodwater due to rain and onrush of water from hills.

Water level in the Sari River is flowing 59 cm above the danger level.