Five adjacent upazilas in Sylhet are home to about four lakh people who were trapped in a flash flood caused by heavy rain and water rushing upstream.
For those impacted by the floods in Kanaighat, Jaintapur, Gowainghat, Companyganj, and Zakiganj, 470 shelter centers have been opened.
The district administration provided cash, rice, and dry food to those affected by the flood.
Waters from the Surma, Kushiyara, and Sari rivers were flowing above the danger line at five locations as of 3 p.m. today, according to sources with the Water Development Board.
Following the rapid flood, the Sylhet District Disaster Management Committee met while Deputy Commissioner Md Kamrul Hasan raced to upazilas hit by the flooding to assess the situation.
Army members have also been kept ready to response quickly.
Jaintapur Upazila Parishad Chairman Liakat Ali said apart from Tila area of the upazila, maximum areas went under water.
More than one lakh people remain stranded by the flash flood in the upazila, he said adding flood water was flowing above the Sylhet-Tamabil road at one point in the upazila but later the water level came down.
Gowainghat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Touhidul Islam said 75 percent areas in the upazila have been affected by the flash flood as over a lakh people have been marooned.
Rescue operation is going on in tourist areas including Jaflong and Bisnakandi, he said.
Islam said tourists have been asked to avoid these spots now.
The UNO said as there was flood forecast, they kept prepared 56 shelter centers. As many as 167 families took shelter last night as the number reached 300 in the morning today, he said.
Sylhet additional deputy commissioner Mohammad Mobarak Hossain said flood situation is worse in Kanaighat, Gowainghat and Jaintapur upazilas.
Locals are assisting upazila administrations in conducting rescue operations, while army personnel have already visited the affected areas and will participate in the rescue effort if needed.
Upazila administrations are carrying out rescue operation with the help of locals while army member have already visited affected areas and if required, they also join the rescue operation.
