7,000 families stranded in Kurigram flood water

Flood water in Kurigram started receding since Friday morning, but nearly 7,000 families of five upazilas have been struggling in stagnant water without drinking water and cooked food.
Meanwhile, flood situation in river basin areas particularly chars and downstream of Gaibandha district has deteriorated further. The situation also has deteriorated in Jamalpur district, report agencies.
In Kurigram, over the past two days, 60-80 houses were swept away by the Brahmaputra River due to intense erosion in Chilmari upazila's Nayarhat and Shakhahati Chars.
The unfortunate residents of the areas now find themselves bereft of homes, enduring an inhumane existence under the open sky.
Visiting the flood affected areas, this correspondent witnessed the desolate scenes unfolding as people are huddling inside their homes, cowsheds, or seeking refuge in boats.
The scarcity of cooking fuel has rendered cooking nearly impossible in the areas. Some families have resorted to pooling resources, with 4-5 households sharing a single stove, cooking together to conserve fuel while preparing their meals.
Homes and agricultural land along the riverbanks in Kurigram Sadar, Ulipur, Chilmari, Nageswari, and Rajarhat remain submerged. While erosion along the Teesta's banks has slightly decreased, fresh erosion has emerged within the Brahmaputra basin.
According to the district administration's Disaster Management unit, 18,626 people are marooned after the third-time flood hit the district.
At least 798 houses went under water and 5,683 hectares of agricultural land were damaged, it said.
Abdullah Al Mamun, Executive Engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board, said, "There is no imminent possibility of rise in water levels in the next 48 hours, which indicates an improvement in the flood situation."
Deputy Commissioner of Kurigram, Mohammad Saidul Arif, said that resources have been allocated by the district and upazila administrations to aid flood-affected people. Distribution of relief materials is underway, he said.
"Furthermore, 18 permanent and 361 temporary shelters have been established to provide shelter to the displaced residents, and an adequate number of speedboats and boats are on standby for flood rescue operations," he added.
In Gaibandha, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) officials said water level of the Brahmaputra River rose by 7 cm and water was flowing 26 cm above the danger level at Fulchharighat point at 9 am on Saturday.
With the rise of water level in the river, flood water entered the different chars including Satarkandi, Rasulpur, char Ratanpur, Madhyo urya, Kalasona, Ziadanga, Vazondanga, char Katlamari, Galna, Gaabgachhi, khachapara, Jamira, Pepulia, Zigabari, Ulgar char, Dakatiar char, char chowmohon, Anandabari, Vatiapara, Paglar char, Horichandi, Khatiamari and Nischintapur of Fulchhari.
Sources said over 8,000 people of the chars have been marooned creating untold sufferings as boats and rafts have become only means of movement in the chars.
Due to flood, agri crops of 120 hectares of land of the upazila went under floodwater making the char dwellers more worried about their food security.
Urya Union parishad Chairman Golam Mostafa Pasha said almost all areas of the union have been submerged resulting in over 1000 families marooned.
In Jamalpur, Water Development Board (WDB) sources said during the last 24 hours water level of the river Jamuna rose by 5 cm and was flowing 30 cm above the red mark at Bahadurabad ghat point till 9 am on Saturday.
According to District Relief and Rehabilitation Office (DRRO), flood water affected 7500 people in two unions of Dewanganj Upazila and 26920 people of six unions in Islampur Upazila. In total the situation affect about 34 thousand 420 people in the district.
Sources said that 90 families in Dewanganj Upazila and 15 families in Islampur Upazila took refuge in two flood shelters.
Flood water also inundated 25 kilometer roads in Islampur Upazila as the water entered its 25 educational institutions.
Deputy Director, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) Zakia Sultana said with the rising of flood water more standing crops were submerged.
She said flood water submerged T-Aman on 2961 hectares of land, of which, 1248 hectares came under water fully and 1713 hectares partially.
DRRO sources said 24 tonnes rice and dried foods were distributed among the flood hit people in Dewanganj upazila.