Flash floods maroon thousands in Sylhet

SYLHET, June 19 (UNB): Some 40,000 residents of the district's Beanibazar upazila have been marooned in flashfloods amidst alarming rise of water levels in the Surma, Kushiara and Sonai rivers.

According to sources, at least four upazilas in the district have no communication with the rest of the country.

Beanibazar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kazi Arifur Rahman said breaching of dykes in the Kushiara river in five spots has increased the level of damage.

Hiron Mahmud, project implementation officer, said no flood relief shelters have been established so far.

Paresh Chandra Das, local agriculture officer, said Aus paddy in 940 hectares out of a total 2,327 hectares of arable land has been damaged, causing an estimated loss of Tk 65 million.

Upon investigation, it was found that the areas of Dubag Bazar, Mewa Point and Kakardia were inundated, alongside the upazila's villages of Ramda, Sridhara, Chandgram and Tajpur.