Flooding worsens in M’singh as 50 more villages inundated

MYMENSINGH, Oct 07 (bdnews24.com): Heavy rain and mountain runoff has worsened flooding in the Haluaghat, Dhobaura and Phulpur upazilas in Mymensingh district.

At least 50 more villages have been inundated by the water, leaving nearly 150,000 people from the 23 unions in three upazilas stranded.

The primary and secondary schools of the three Upazilas have been declared as shelters, said Sanowar Hossain, the district relief and disaster rehabilitation officer said on Monday afternoon. Some 2,000 people, including women and children, have sought refuge in these shelters.

He said, "We have distributed 63 metric tonnes of rice and cash assistance of Tk 700,000 in these areas. Distribution of relief among the victims is ongoing. We are also providing cooked food to the flood victims."

Rafiqul Islam of the Porakandulia area of Dhobaura said, "There is an extreme shortage of dry food and clean water among the Dhobaura flood victims. However, the administration is providing food in some areas. In addition, at least 50 houses have been destroyed in the area around Netai River."

"Many of the people surrounded by the water are leaving their homes and taking refuge in the houses of their relatives in other areas. The upstream water is flowing down and flooding the low-lying areas downstream. All in all, the people are disorientated after suffering for four days."

The flood water has damaged the paved road from Dhobaura upazila Sadar to Kalsindur, the Ghoshgaon-Dhobaura paved road, Ghoshgaon-Baligaon paved road, and the paved road from Munsirhat Bazar to Shalkona.

Kulsum Akhtar of Tarakandi village in Dhobaura Sadar Union said, "I have been stuck because of the water for four days. We can't cook due to the knee-deep water in and around the house, cooking. The chickens are dead. No one is giving us any help at all."

Dhobaura Upazila Engineer Abu Bakar Siddique said, "Due to continuous rains and runoff 127 km of road has been submerged by water. Of this, 50 km of the road has become completely impassable. If the water recedes, the total damage to the road will be inspected and repairs will be undertaken."

Nishat Sharmin, Dhobaura Upazila executive officer, said that 26 villages of two unions in the upazila were newly flooded on Monday, but the flow of water from upstream is decreasing a bit.