The present flood that has affected over 48 lakh people and claimed 15 lives has devastated 77 upazilas across 11 districts of the country.
Eleven of the fifteen fatalities occurred in the districts of Cumilla, Feni, Chattogram, Noakhali, Brahmanbaria, Lakshmipur, and three in Cox’s Bazar. Two ladies were among the deceased.
Assistant Secretary Md. Hasan Ali of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry verified the details with BSS.The flood that began on August 20 has affected the districts of Feni, Cumilla, Khagrachhari, Noakhali, Chattogram, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Sylhet, Lakshmipur, and Cox’s Bazar.
A total of 9,46,769 families have been stranded in the flood while 1,95,030 people and 18,096 cattle were given shelter to 3176 shelter centers, according to latest updates on ongoing flood issued by the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry.
The flood hit 589 unions under 77 upazilas in 11 districts.
Taka 3,52,00,000 (cash), 20,150 metric tons of rice and 15,000 packets of dry foods have been allotted for the flood hit districts.
In the areas affected by flooding, rescue efforts are being carried out by members of the army, navy, coast guard, BGB, fire department, police, and anti-discrimination student movement in addition to other personnel.
In the 11 districts devastated by flooding, 639 medical teams are working to treat the afflicted individuals.
5,50,000 people in Feni were impacted by the flood, and 40,000 of them were placed in shelter facilities after the water reached six upazilas in the area.
Despite the gradual ebbing of water in Parshuram and Chhagalniya upazilas, the district town has nearly entirely been inundated. Eighteen wards of the municipality have been submerged, in addition to twelve unions within the Sadar Upazila.
Mobile network remains inactive and power connections have been cut off in maximum areas in the district.
Deputy Commissioner Musammat Shahina Akter said army, navy, coast guard, Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB), the fire service, and volunteers of student-people are continuing with their rescue operations in Feni. However, Disaster Management and Relief Ministry has opened a control room for providing information and support for the flood-hit areas. The control room’s number is 0255101115.
Deputy commissioners of flood affected districts have been given necessary directives to work together in coordination with coordinators of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Army, medical teams and other volunteers. Adviser for Disaster Management and Relief Ministry and secretary of the ministry visited the flood-hit areas and the adviser is still staying in the flood-affected area. Adviser for Labour and Employment Ministry and Youth and Sports Ministry Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain is also staying in the flood-affected area.
The people, who are interested to stand by the flood victims, have been urged to send money to ‘Chief Adviser’s Relief and Welfare Fund’.
Interested people have been requested to deposit or send money to the account named ‘Chief Adviser’s Relief and Welfare Fund’. Account No: 0107333004093, Bank Name: Sonali Bank Corporate Branch, Chief Adviser’s Office.
“Many people have been showing interest in providing assistance to those affected by the recent devastating floods. The government welcomes this great interest to stand by those in trouble,” Deputy Press Secretary of Chief Adviser Apurba Jahangir said.
Due to the continuous flooding, the Dhaka-Chattogram route is now completely cut off by water, affecting both road and rail traffic.
A few of the railroad tracks on the Feni and Cumilla routes are underwater. Floodwaters are covering railroad tracks and bridges in Feni, and a railway bridge in Sylhet is submerged.
Landslides have caused sections of the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar railway line to collapse. Additionally, a few of the railroad tracks on the Dohazari and Nazirhat routes are underwater.
Talking to BSS, Chattogram Railway Station Manager Mohammad Moniruzzaman said that the railway authority has decided to stop train movement due to the risk of ongoing floods. Train services will be resumed when the situation normalises, he added.
Meanwhile, all bus services on the Dhaka-Chattogram route have been stopped. Although bus traffic is normal only on Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban routes, but other routes bus services, including Khagrachari, are stopped.Water levels at 43 river stations monitored by Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) have marked rise, while 54 stations recorded fall.
Among the 110 monitored river stations, water levels at three stations have remained steady, while water levels at 14 stations are flowing above the danger level, a bulletin issued by the FFWC said here today.
The Kushiyara river at Amalshid, at Sheola, Sherpur-Sylhet, at Markuli, the Manu at Manu RL Bridge (Moulvibazar), at Moulvibazar, the Khowai at Ballah, at Habiganj, the Gumti at Cumilla, at Debiddar, the Muhuri at Parshuram, the Feni at Ramgarh (Chattogram), the Halda at Narayanhat and Panchpukuria (Chattogram) are flowing 21cm, 2cm, 10cm, 7 cm, 29cm, 114cm, 199cm, 165cm, 118cm, 53cm, no communication, 200cm, 110cm and 37cm above the danger level respectively.
In the last 24 hours, heavy rainfall was not observed in eastern Cumilla, Brahmanbaria and Feni districts bordering Indian Tripura and inland basins of Tripura province and the water level of upstream rivers started receding.
As a result, the existing flood situation in the lower areas of Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Feni, Cumilla and Chattogram districts is improving at a slow pace.
Meteorological organizations report that there is no chance of significant rainfall in the country’s northeast and surrounding uplands during the next twenty-four hours.
Currently, there is a chance that the flood situation in the lower areas along the Manu, Khoai, and Dhalai rivers in the northeastern districts of Moulvibazar and Habiganj would improve.
Based on data from meteorological authorities, there is little chance of significant rainfall in the country’s southeast, east, and surrounding uplands during the next twenty-four hours.
The flood situation may get better at this time in the lower areas along rivers like the Feni, Cumilla, and Muhuri, as well as the Feni, Gumti, and Halda in the Chattogram district.
The Brahmaputra-Jamuna river water level is decreasing, while the Ganga-Padma river water level is stable, which may continue for the next 48 hours.
The water level of Surma-Kushiara river in northeastern part of the country is stable, which may decrease in the next 24 hours.
The water level of Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers in the northern part of the country is decreasing. Normal flow of all these rivers may prevail in the next 48 hours.
A disaster management support coordination cell has been formed in the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs to help deal with the flood situation in Bangladesh.
The coordination cell will update the relevant authorities with the information to be received along with maintaining constant communication with all involved in disaster management and follow up at all times.
The cell’s contact numbers are: 02-47118700, 02-47118701, 02-47118702, 02-47118703, 02-47118704, 02-47118705, 01317749980 and 01820117744.
