40 villages flooded by mountain runoff in Sherpur

Low-lying areas of 40 villages in Sherpur Sadar and Nalitabari upazilas have been flooded by mountain runoff. However, the flooding in Jhenaigati upazila near the border has improved slightly. Meanwhile, the flood situation in Kurigram district has worsened, with rising water levels in all major rivers leaving 0.15 million (1.5 lakh) people stranded, report agencies.
In Sherpur, the Bangladesh Water Development Board has reported that the waters of all the rivers in the district are flowing below their danger limit despite the flash floods.
Sherpur Sadar recorded 6 mm of rain, Nalitabari 8 mm, and Nakugaon 15 mm until 6am on Saturday, the BWDB said.
Many fish raised in ponds were swept away due to the flooding of Gazirkhamar in the Sadar Upazila and Kalaspar Union in Nalitabari. Aman seedbeds and vegetable fields have also been flooded. Locals are suffering as the water starts to rise in their homes.
Residents are wading through knee-deep water or travelling on small boats as rural roads are submerged. The intermittent light to moderate rain every day adds to their woes.
Ajiran Bewa of Palashia village of Gazirkhamar Union said, "The water is getting in and causing trouble. We can't cook meals. The water's rising and flooding our homes. What are we to do now?"
Rubel Hossain, a resident of the same village, said, "Runoff from the Jhenaigati hills has submerged Aman seedbeds and vegetable farmland in the low-lying areas of Palashia village, Kawapechi, Kharkaria, Kuruliakanda village. There has been a lot of damage due to the sudden flooding."
Shahjahan, a farmer from West Kalaspar village of Nalitabari Upazila, said: "All the fish nets and enclosures we set up were washed away from East Kalaspar in Kalaspar Union's Ward No. 2 all the way to Kashempur, Gaglajani, Nakshi, Balughata, Tarakandi, and Jogania."
"We have no hope and nothing to fall back on. The fish in the pond were swept away. The taro I planted is submerged. As the water has risen into the houses, we are having difficulty with our cows and calves. We are keeping them tied up in whatever spaces we can."
Awladul Islam, chairman of Gazirkhamar Union Parishad in Sherpur's Sadar Upazila and general secretary of the Sadar Upazila's Awami League unit, said that at least 10 villages of his union have been flooded. Paddy and vegetable fields in many places have been submerged.
He said that it has become difficult for families to cook meals due to water rising into the houses in some areas.
Abdul Majid, chairman of Kalsapar Union Parishad in Nalitabari Upazila, said that at least 30 villages, including the Pipleshwar, Satanipara and Baganara villages of his union, have been flooded due to the runoff. Two tributaries of the Kalsa River are overflowing with water and the Aman seedbed is flooded.
"Classes are suspended due to rising water in and around Pipleshwar Government Primary School. Apart from this, there is still knee-deep water on the 1-km-long road from Balughata to Tarakandi and Pipleshwar, disrupting traffic."
The UP chairman said that people are travelling in small boats as the roads in rural areas are flooded.
At 9am, Md Nakibuzzaman Khan, executive engineer of the Sherpur WDB said that the water level of the Bhogai River at the Nakugaon Point was 344 cm below the danger limit and 199 cm below at the Nalitabari Point.
Apart from this, Chellakhali river water is flowing 96 cm below the danger line at the Batkuchi Point, while the Old Brahmaputra is flowing 205 cm below, he said.
The waters of Jhenaigati's Maharshi and Someswari rivers are flowing under the danger line too, but, due to a lack of a measurement system, it was not possible to gauge how far it was below the line.
Nalitabari Upazila executive officer Masud Rana said that sudden flooding will not linger long, but a list is still being put together of those affected by the flooding. The victims will be assisted later.
However, if anyone is stranded by the water, a rescue will be conducted at the union level and they will be taken to a safe place, he said.
In Kurigram, Deputy Commissioner of the district Mohammad Saidul Arif reported that the Brahmaputra River was flowing 72 cm above its danger point at Chilmari, 71 cm above at Hatiya, and 68 cm above at Nunkhawa. The Dharla River was one cm above its red mark at Dharla Bridge and 10 cm above at Taluk Shimulbari as of Saturday morning. Additionally, the Dudhkumar River was 22 cm above its danger level at Pateshwari.
Due to these rising water levels, 84,000 people across 42 unions in eight upazilas-Phulbari, Nageshwar, Kurigram Sadar, Ulipur, Razarhat, Chilmari, Roumari, and Char Rajibpur-have been affected. Local representatives estimate that 150,000 people are currently stranded.
The floods have forced the suspension of academic activities in 37 government primary schools, with floodwaters entering 146 government primary schools. Classes in 20 madrasas and 43 secondary schools have also been suspended, according to the Deputy Commissioner.
To address the crisis, the local administration has opened 404 shelter centers, with 3,124 people taking refuge in 26 of them. Relief efforts include the allocation of 291 metric tonnes of rice, Tk 2.15 million (21.50 lakh) in cash, and 15,320 packets of dry food for flood victims.
The floods have inundated 6,615 hectares of land in the district. In response, 83 medical teams have been deployed to provide treatment to those affected.