Despite a decrease in rainfall, the plight of Sylhet residents due to flooding continues to escalate.
As of Thursday evening, water levels in the Surma and Kushiara rivers began to recede but remain above danger levels at several points.
The Sylhet Meteorological Office reported a significant decline in rainfall, with only 10mm recorded between 6:00am and 9:00am on Thursday, compared to 55 mm during the same period on Wednesday.
Total rainfall from Wednesday morning to Thursday morning was 110 mm.
Despite the falling river levels, flooding remains widespread across most upazilas in Sylhet, including Companiganj, Goainghat, Jokiganj, Kanaighat, Golapganj, and Sylhet Sadar. The floods also continued to affect most parts of Sunamganj and parts of Moulvibazar and Netrakona.
At 6:00 am on Thursday, the Kushiara River was flowing 16.27 cm above the danger mark at the Amalshid point, slightly dropping to 16.26 cm by 11:00 am.
The Surma River showed similar trends, with water levels 8.07cm above the danger mark at Sunamganj Point at 6:00 am, dropping slightly to 8.05cm by 11:00 am.
Sylhet Met official Shah Md Sajib Hossain forecasted that moderate to heavy rain would continue in Sylhet on Friday.
The Sylhet DC office reported that 825,000 people across 1,548 villages are affected, with 19,949 taking refuge in 656 flood shelters.
The state minister for disaster management and relief allocated Tk 1.0 million in cash, 2,000 packs of dry food, and 100 tonnes of rice for the city's flood victims during his visit to Sylhet.
Meanwhile, the situation worsened in northern regions, particularly in Nilphamari where 10 villages were inundated following the collapse of the Buritista river dam in Dimla upazila's Sundar Khata.
Hundreds of families were displaced when a 60-meter section of the main dam fell apart in Sundar Khata, flooding nearby villages and submerging several crops and Aman paddy seedbeds.
Local resident Ebadur Rahman voiced his frustration over the dam's fragility, highlighting that the area has been grappling with similar issues for decades without sustainable solutions.
Golam Rabbani, another resident, described the immediate impact on their homes and the uncertainty they face if rains persist.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Sekender Ali estimated that around 150 hectares of land with Aman seedbeds would be temporarily lost due to the dam collapse.
District Water Development Board Executive Engineer Atiqur Rahman confirmed that the present condition of the dam had been reported to higher authorities.
"However, since the dam is very old, it is unclear whether it falls under our jurisdiction. We will review the documents before taking any further steps," he said.
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