SHARIATPUR, Sept 18 (UNB): Some 60 families have been rendered homeless due to the continuous erosion by the mighty Padma river at different points in Naria upazila on Sunday and Monday.
With the latest ones, some 6,000 families under three unions of the upazila have been rendered homeless due to the scourge of riverbank erosion in the last three months.
Besides, several thousand acres of croplands have been devoured by the river as the erosion has taken a serious turn in the upazila.
Locals are expecting some respite in the current spate of erosion of Padma river in Naria upazila due to rise of water and slow current in the river but they also feared that if the river water started to recede again than the erosion may take serious turn again.
Sources said erosion takes a worse turn in Mokterer char, Kedarpur, Gharshar union of Naria upazila, Naria municipality and Kunderchar union of Jajira upazila, rendering 8,000 families homeless.
The affected people were seen shifting their homesteads and business establishments in safer places.
Several hundred people were seen searching shelter and many families are living under the open sky for lack of accommodations.
Manir Hossain of Banshtala village and Shubatra Rani Pal of Daspara village said "At first we have lost our croplands and the river has started to devour our houses though we have shifted the valuables and furniture from the houses but could not relocate the houses. Now we are passing ours days under the open sky."
Sanzida Islam, UNO of Naria upazila, said already the local administration has been taking preparation for sheltering the affected homeless people. She said dry foods, tin sheds and rice were distributed among the affected people.
The government also took an initiative to disburse tin and cash among the affected people.
BSS adds: In Jamalpur, low laying areas of eight unions in Islampur and Dewanganj upazila of the district had been inundated by flood water for last three days.
The Water Development Board (WDB) officials said though the water level in Jamuna river dropped by 1 cm during the last 24 hours as of 12 noon today but it was still flowing 4 cm above the red mark at Bahadurabad ghat point.
Flood water affected five unions of Patharshi, Kulkandi, Belgachha, Chinaduli and Noarpara in Islampur upazila and three unions of Bahadurabad, Chikajani and Chukaibari in Dewanganj upazila, they said.
District administration allotted 10 tonnes of rice and 400 packets of dried food for Islampur upazila and five tonnes of rice and 250 packets of dried food for Dewanganj upazila to distribute those among e flood victims.
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