Flood situation likely to worsen in central parts of country

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Eleven more flood-related deaths were reported Friday, raising the toll to 65 as the current flood situation may worsen further in the country's central parts with the swelling of major rivers, officials said.
An official at the flood control room told UNB that some 70,0000 people of 15 lakh families have been affected by the current floods that have hit 206 upazilas of 38 districts, causing extensive damage to life, property and standing crops.
The official said more than two lakh flood-affected people, including women and children, took shelter in 903 centres.
The floodwaters damaged standing crops on more than 0.5m hectares of lands either fully or partially.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre says the overall flood situation in the country's central parts, including eastern part of capital Dhaka, may worsen further as waters in the major rivers in the Ganges-Padma basin continued to rise.
A bulletin of the Centre said the Ganges-Padma continued to rise at all points and was flowing 150 cm and 106 cm above danger mark at Goalundo and Bhagyakul points respectively this morning. The Kaliganga at Taraghat was still in spate and was flowing 139 cm above its danger level.
It said the major rivers were flowing above their danger levels in 27 water level monitoring stations this morning. Of the rivers, water marked rise at 39 stations while registered fall at 22 stations.
The bulletin said the prevailing flood situation in the districts of Manikganj, Munshiganj, Faridpur, Rajbari, Madaripur, Shariatpur, and Dohar and Nawabganj upazilas of Dhaka district are likely to aggravate further.
The prevailing flood situation in northern districts --Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Rangpur and Bogra -- and northeastern districts -- Netrakona, Sunamganj and Sylhet -- has started improving and are likely to further improve gradually. But the situation in the districts of Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Pabna and Tangail may remain unchanged and expected to start improving from today (Saturday).