Floods taking worse turn in Dhaka, its surroundings
Monday, 6 August 2007
Flood situation is turning worse in the capital Dhaka and its surroundings although the northern districts saw waters receding, a regular Flood Forecast and Warning Centre (FFWC) bulletin said Sunday.
Meanwhile, the floods, caused by heavy downpour and onrush of water from upper riparian in India, marooned nearly 8.10 million (81 lakh) people in 234 upazilas of 38 districts and claimed 120 lives until Sunday morning with 39 fresh deaths reported from the flood-hit districts, officials said, report agencies.
The FFWC Assistant Engineer Md Abul Bashar said: "The Buriganga waters rose 10 cm in the preceding 24 hours and the trend is likely to continue through the next three days inundating fresh areas in the suburbs and surroundings of the metropolis."
Balu, Turag, Sitalakhshya and Tongikhal, four of the five rivers running through and around Dhaka, saw increases in their water levels by 5.0 to 18 cm and were now flowing 35 to 50 cm above the danger marks at different points, the forecast said.
The bulletin said waters of 13 rivers were flowing above the danger level at 21 points.
As the Padma and the Dhaleshwari waters are swelling, new areas of Manikganj, Munshiganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Nawabganj and Dohar upazilas of Dhaka are facing imminent inundation, the forecast said.
The swirling Meghna waters put Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Gazipur, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria districts at risk of flooding.
The Jamuna water level registered recessions of 17 cm, 11 cm and 4.0 cm at Bahadurabad, Sirajganj and Aricha points to flow 33, 94 and 121 cm above the red marks.
The old Brahmaputra waters receded at Jamalpur but swelled at Mymensingh point to flow only 5.0 cm above the danger mark at both points.
Of the Dhaka contiguous rivers, the Balu river swelled 7.0 cm at Demra point, the Sitalakhshya waters increased 5.0 cm at Narayanganj, the Turag swelled 6.0 cm at Mirpur and the Tongikhal waters rose 18 cm at Tongi point to flow 39, 44, 36 and 48 cm above the danger levels.
Excepting the Padma, other rivers in the Ganges basin were reported to have been flowing below the danger marks.
The Padma receded 4.0 cm at Goalanda point but rose 1.0 cm at Bhagyakul and was still flowing 145 cm and 110 cm above the danger levels at Goalanda and Bhagyakul points.
Almost all rivers in the Meghna basin receded in the last 24 hours.
The Surma was flowing 57 cm and 17 cm above the danger levels despite receding 18 cm and 14 cm at Kanaighat and Sunamganj points in the last 24 hours.
The Kushiara receded 8.0 cm and 3.0 cm at Amalshid and Sheola points in the last 24 hours and were flowing 9.0 cm and 22 cm above the danger marks.
The Meghna swelled at Bhairab Bazar but receded 5.0 cm at Chandpur point and was now flowing at 69 cm and 40 cm above the danger levels at the points.
According to officials, nearly 0.3 million victims of the flooding, worst in a decade, have so far taken shelter in 11,75 flood centres in the affected districts.
Standing crops on more than 1.2 million (12 lakh) acres of land were fully or partially damaged by the floodwaters.
According to official statistics, at least 89,000 houses were damaged completely and about 0.6 million partially. A total of 297 educational institutions were completely and 4247 partially damaged.
Some 36,065 kms of flood-protection embankment were completely washed away while 1475 kms partially affected.
The government has so far allocated 14,200 metric tonnes of GR rice, of which 7215 metric tonnes have already been distributed until August 3.
Besides, Tk 20 million (2 crore) in cash was allocated and Tk 15.50 million (1.55 crore) 51,000 has already been distributed among the flood victims. TK 10 million (1 crore) has been allocated for buying dry foods, of which Tk 2.40 million (24 lakh) was spent.
Meanwhile, Germany is providing 500,000 euros (685,000 dollars) to help the victims of flooding in Bangladesh, the Ministry for Economic Assistance said Sunday.
'The situation is dramatic for the flood victims,' Economic Assistance Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul said. 'The people of Bangladesh are in urgent need of help,'
The ministry said the money would go to the World Food Programme so it could send extra supplies of food and drinking water to the affected areas, DPA reported from Berlin Sunday.
Meanwhile, the floods, caused by heavy downpour and onrush of water from upper riparian in India, marooned nearly 8.10 million (81 lakh) people in 234 upazilas of 38 districts and claimed 120 lives until Sunday morning with 39 fresh deaths reported from the flood-hit districts, officials said, report agencies.
The FFWC Assistant Engineer Md Abul Bashar said: "The Buriganga waters rose 10 cm in the preceding 24 hours and the trend is likely to continue through the next three days inundating fresh areas in the suburbs and surroundings of the metropolis."
Balu, Turag, Sitalakhshya and Tongikhal, four of the five rivers running through and around Dhaka, saw increases in their water levels by 5.0 to 18 cm and were now flowing 35 to 50 cm above the danger marks at different points, the forecast said.
The bulletin said waters of 13 rivers were flowing above the danger level at 21 points.
As the Padma and the Dhaleshwari waters are swelling, new areas of Manikganj, Munshiganj, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Nawabganj and Dohar upazilas of Dhaka are facing imminent inundation, the forecast said.
The swirling Meghna waters put Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Gazipur, Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria districts at risk of flooding.
The Jamuna water level registered recessions of 17 cm, 11 cm and 4.0 cm at Bahadurabad, Sirajganj and Aricha points to flow 33, 94 and 121 cm above the red marks.
The old Brahmaputra waters receded at Jamalpur but swelled at Mymensingh point to flow only 5.0 cm above the danger mark at both points.
Of the Dhaka contiguous rivers, the Balu river swelled 7.0 cm at Demra point, the Sitalakhshya waters increased 5.0 cm at Narayanganj, the Turag swelled 6.0 cm at Mirpur and the Tongikhal waters rose 18 cm at Tongi point to flow 39, 44, 36 and 48 cm above the danger levels.
Excepting the Padma, other rivers in the Ganges basin were reported to have been flowing below the danger marks.
The Padma receded 4.0 cm at Goalanda point but rose 1.0 cm at Bhagyakul and was still flowing 145 cm and 110 cm above the danger levels at Goalanda and Bhagyakul points.
Almost all rivers in the Meghna basin receded in the last 24 hours.
The Surma was flowing 57 cm and 17 cm above the danger levels despite receding 18 cm and 14 cm at Kanaighat and Sunamganj points in the last 24 hours.
The Kushiara receded 8.0 cm and 3.0 cm at Amalshid and Sheola points in the last 24 hours and were flowing 9.0 cm and 22 cm above the danger marks.
The Meghna swelled at Bhairab Bazar but receded 5.0 cm at Chandpur point and was now flowing at 69 cm and 40 cm above the danger levels at the points.
According to officials, nearly 0.3 million victims of the flooding, worst in a decade, have so far taken shelter in 11,75 flood centres in the affected districts.
Standing crops on more than 1.2 million (12 lakh) acres of land were fully or partially damaged by the floodwaters.
According to official statistics, at least 89,000 houses were damaged completely and about 0.6 million partially. A total of 297 educational institutions were completely and 4247 partially damaged.
Some 36,065 kms of flood-protection embankment were completely washed away while 1475 kms partially affected.
The government has so far allocated 14,200 metric tonnes of GR rice, of which 7215 metric tonnes have already been distributed until August 3.
Besides, Tk 20 million (2 crore) in cash was allocated and Tk 15.50 million (1.55 crore) 51,000 has already been distributed among the flood victims. TK 10 million (1 crore) has been allocated for buying dry foods, of which Tk 2.40 million (24 lakh) was spent.
Meanwhile, Germany is providing 500,000 euros (685,000 dollars) to help the victims of flooding in Bangladesh, the Ministry for Economic Assistance said Sunday.
'The situation is dramatic for the flood victims,' Economic Assistance Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul said. 'The people of Bangladesh are in urgent need of help,'
The ministry said the money would go to the World Food Programme so it could send extra supplies of food and drinking water to the affected areas, DPA reported from Berlin Sunday.