Cox’s Bazar situation on the mend
Five rivers of the country including the mighty Jamuna and the Padma were flowing above their respective flood levels on Friday morning while the situation in Cox’s Bazar started improving with the sky being cleared off the rain clouds.
The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre in Dhaka on Friday evening said all the major river systems were on the rising trend and would continue to swell in during the next two days.
The Jamuna, which had been swelling for the past few days, crossed the danger level at Bahadurabad on Thursday and was flowing 10 centimetre above the flood mark at 6am Friday, the centre said.
The water level of Padma at Bhagyakul marked an 11cm rise on Thursday and was recorded at 18cm
above the flood level Friday morning.
The Ghagot in Gaibanda swelled by 15cm and crossed the flood mark too.
The River Matamuhuri, due to incessant rainfall in its catchments, recorded an abrupt rise of 57cm at Lama and of 61cm at Chiringa. The hilly river was flowing 7cm above the flood level at Lama and 89cm at Chiringa at 6am Friday, the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said.
With a respite in the rainfall since Thursday night, the flash flood situation in Cox’s Bazar started improving.
Seven people had been reported dead in Teknaf and Ramu since Wednesday but local administration officials said they had received information of four deaths – two in Teknaf and another two in Ramu on Thursday.
Cox’s Bazar deputy commissioner Mohammad Jainul Bari said rains stopped at 9pm Thursday and the flash flood situation in 28 unions of Ramu, Chakoria, and Cox’s Bazar Sadar upazilas improved on Friday.
He said Tk 6.70 lakh in cash, 61 tonnes of rice, 4,500 kilograms of chira [flattened rice], and 500kg molasses have been allocated as relief for the flood-affected people of the district.
Officials said the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Highway remained snapped due to damage caused by rushing waters in at least three places.
-With New Age input
