Flood situation improves, thousands suffer for lack of food
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
The overall flood situation across the country marked an improvement Tuesday, although thousands of stranded people were suffering for lack of food and drinking water and from various waterborne diseases, according to a news agency.
In Kurigram, the general relief (GR) fund money and rice allocated by the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry reached only several hundred families although nearly .50 million people were affected by the flood.
So far, Tk 1.2 million and 950 tonnes of rice have been allocated as GR for the flood-hit people who have remained stranded for more than one week by the floodwater caused by a rise in the water level of the Brahmaputra and other rivers.
As the floodwater is receding in Sherpur, the farmers of the flood-hit areas have started searching for Transplanted Aman (T Aman) seedlings as the seedbeds they had prepared have been inundated and damaged by the floodwater.
They demanded the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) take immediate steps to supply the T Aman seedlings to so that they can continue with the cultivation of the staple crop.
Huge damage of both the ripe Aus fields as well as the T Aman seedbeds has been reported in Sirajganj district where 60 out of 82 unions had been inundated by floodwater for more than one week.
Although the floodwater has started receding, most of the flood-hit areas under Belkuchi, Sadar, Kazipur, Chouhali and Shahjadpur upazilas still remain inundated.
According to the DAE, about 10,000 hectares of crop field in the district have been damaged due to prolonged inundation.
Various water-related diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia have already inflicted great sufferings to the flood-affected areas in the district.
In Bagerhat, several flood control embankments in Sharankhola, Morelganj, Chitalmari and Sadar upazilas have turned rickety in many spots due to strong currents in various southern rivers.
So far, about 30 hectares of land in Chitalmari upazial along the Madhumati River have been eroded by the river due to the breach of 2 kilometres of the flood control embankment.