Flood worsens in eight districts

The overall flood situation in eight districts, mostly in the northern region, worsened further Friday, as rivers in the districts kept swelling, displacing millions of people, reports UNB.brThe districts are Shariatpur, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Madaripur, Faridpur, Sirajganj, Kurigram and Munshiganj. brLow-lying areas in six upazilas of Shariatpur district were inundated in the last four days, as the rivers Padma and Kritinasha were flowing 15 cm and 27 cm above danger levels respectively, submerging croplands in six upazilas.brA large number of dwelling houses in Naria, Jazira and Bhedarganj upazilas were also submerged by the rolling floodwaters.brIn Madaripur, about three lakh people in 30 unions of four upazilas were marooned, as water level in three rivers -- Padma, Arial Khan and Kumer -- rose sharply.brA number of roads in the district town also went under water.brThirty-five out of 68 unions in seven upazilas of the district were flooded as the water level in the rivers Jamuna and Brahmaputra continued to rise.brOfficials at the local Agriculture Extension Department said transplanted Aman crop on 36,000 hectares of land in seven upazilas went under floodwater.brEducation officials said classes in three secondary schools, 83 government primary schools, 108 registered primary schools and seven community primary schools have been suspended due to the worsening flood situation.brIn Kurigram, 58 unions in Nageshwari, Sadar, Ulipur, Chilmari, Roumari, Rajibpur, Rajarhat and Phulbari upazilas went under as water levels of 16 rivers, including Dharla, Tista, Brahmaputra and Dudkomor, increased sharply.brOfficial sources said 22,329 houses, 35 educational institutions, 293 km of kutcha and 7 km of pucca roads were completely damaged by the floodwater, affecting nearly one lakh people. brAbout one lakh people of 100 villages in four upazilas -- Sadar, Char Bhadrashan, Sadarpur and Bhanga -- were affected by flood, as the river Padma kept swelling. It was flowing 87 cm above its red mark at Goalanda point for the last several days.brMeanwhile, the flood-hit people have taken shelter in safer places. brOfficials said 34 government educational institutions have been closed due to the deteriorating flood situation. brAccording to Agriculture officials, standing crops on 20,000 hectares of land were submerged by the gushing floodwaters.brIn Sirajganj, a vast track of low-lying areas in Royganj, Kazipur and Sadar upazials were submerged. brIn Sherpur, the overall flood situation in the district deteriorated further as rain-fed rivers continued to swell inundating a number of fresh areas under 16 unions in Sadar, Sreewardi and Nakla upazilas.brOfficials said water level in rivers Brahmaputra, Bhogai, Dashani, Mrigi and Challakhali marked a sharp rise in the last 24 hours due to heavy rain. brLocal Met office recorded 124 mm of rain Thursday night.brRoad communications between northern districts and Sherpur remain snapped as Sherpur-Jamalpur highway went under west-deep floodwater in Porardokan Kajoye area. brAccording to agriculture officials, some 6,975 hectares of transplanted aman went under water while over one lakh people were marooned in Char and low-lying areas.brIn Munshiganj, rivers Dhaleshwari and Padma were in spate, leaving thousands of people of 25 villages marooned.brA large number of houses, educational institutions and roads in local pourasava went under water, disrupting normal life.brOur Staff Reporter adds Food crops, jute and vegetable plantations on more than 168,000 hectares of land in the country's 18 flood-hit districts have been submerged by flood water in northern and central parts of the country, officials said Friday.brThe Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) on the day said transplanted Aman and Aus, jute and vegetables have been submerged in the flood hit districts.brIt also said crops, particularly t-Aman, will be damaged completely if the water does not recede within the next two to three days.brOur offices in 18-flood hit district reported that crops on over 168,000 hectares of land have submerged until today, director general of the DAE Md. Shamsul Alam told the FE on Friday.brHe said more Aman rice areas might be submerged in the next few days, as the flood is engulfing new areas.brThe DAE said that vegetables and other crops, including Aman, on about 50,000 hectares of land have been washed away in the northern and central parts of the country.brIn the northern Rangpur District, the Aman plantation has already been destroyed on several thousand hectares of land. In Lalmonirhat District, crops on 27,605 hectares have been destroyed.brIt also said that more than Aman and Aush crops on about 50,000 hectares in Companiganj, Golapganj, Jaintapur, Kanaighat, Gowainghat, Fenchuganj and Beanibazar Sub-districts have been destroyed in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts.brWe have already taken necessary steps to help farmers by providing seedlings so that they are able to replant immediately after recession of flood waters, the DAE director general said and added that the DAE will try its best to minimise the losses caused by the flood. brDirector general of the DAE said We will have time to transplant Aman on the flood hit lands if water recedes by September 15. brHe said We will make our last efforts even at the fag end of the season so that we can reach the production target set for this year.br