The rising water of the Teesta has surpassed the danger level (DL) by 17 cm, as the river swelled by the rush of surface run-off, following heavy rains in the hills upstream. This has affected thousands of people in the three districts of Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon and Dinajpur.
Over 15,000 people have been affected in five upazilas—Sadar, Hatibandha, Aditmari, Kaliganj and Patgram—under Lalmonirhat district, and many of them have been taken to safer places.
“The water level of Teesta, at the Dalia point, has gone up by 55.57 cm, at 6pm on Tuesday, and was flowing 17 cm above DL,” Mainuddin Mandal, sub-divisional engineer of the Dalia Water Development Board in Nilphamari district, said.
The water level at Dalia point, however, may recede in the next two or three days, as water level has declined upstream, Mandal informed.
The affected areas are Khuniagach and Rajpur unions in Sadar Upazila; Gaddimari, Patika Para, and Shaniajan under Hatibandha upazila; Mohishkota union under Aditmari upazila; and a portion of Dahagram-Angarpota enclaves in Patgram upazila; which are facing acute food and potable water crisis.
All 44 gates of the Teesta barrage will remain open until water levels return to normal, he said.
Habibur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Lalmonirhat district, said that the local administration has received directives to send relief material to people in affected areas. A total of Tk. 500,000 and 100 tonnes of rice have been sent to the five upazilas, to supply relief material to the affected, he added.
Our Dinajpur correspondent adds that Teesta waters flooded at least 35 villages of three upazilasof the district on Tuesday, after water level surged due to continuous rainfall in the last 24 hours, and increased flow of water from upstream in India. The surge has damaged large areas of cropland, sources said, adding that over 10,000 people have been affected.
The waters of Punarbhaba flooded 10 villages, each, in Farkabad and Azimpur unions of Biral upazila, five villages of Dinajpur Sadar upazila.
Ten villages in Viail and Abdulpur unions of Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpurwere also flooded on Tuesday, as the water levels of Atrai and Kakrarivers, too, surged after 12 noon on Tuesday, said Md Anwar Hossain, executive engineer of Water Development Board in Dinajpur. “Heavy rainfalls started since the morning of July 7 and continued for three consecutive days, causing the flood,” he added.
Area residents have left their homes and took shelter on higher grounds, using boats and rafts for transport.
Rashidul Islam, a villager of Sardarpara village in Farkabad union, said that the water of Punarbhabastarted entering into the village, since Tuesday morning.
“At least 100 families of Farkabad union have been stranded, as the river breached its bank quite suddenly,” Tosaddeque Hossain, chairman of Farkabad union, said.
At least 30 houses, built under a housing project, have gone underwater in Chirirbandar upazila. Relief materials are yet to reach the affected areas.
Anwarul Alam, deputy director of Department of Agriculture Extension, said that the water has affected at least 10,000 hectares of cropland in three upazilas of Dinajpur. “We are receiving more information,” he added.
Our Thakurgaon correspondent adds that the surge of river water from upstream in India and incessant rains have triggered flash floods, inundating 30 villages in the district.
The flood situation worsened as the Tangon, Shuk, Vulli, Senua, Kulik and Nagor rivers were flowing above DL, by 24-25 cm.
Above 5,000 houses have been affected by the flooding, leaving many roads in the district submerged. Train services were disrupted, as areas around Kujishahar were under water.
Majnur Rahaman, the manager of Thakurgaonrailway station, said, “We’re trying to deal with the situation, and hope to resume the service by Tuesday.”
Thousands of people are facing hard times due to shortage of rice, wheat and other food grains. Croplands in Baliadangi and Pirganj upazilas have also gone under water. It was alleged that those affected were yet to get any relief materials from the district administration.
Enayetullah Khan, additional deputy commissioner of the district, claimed that they have doled out Tk. 100,000 and 15 tonnes of rice, to the affected.
“We have written to the ministry of disaster management, and are trying to send relief material to the flood-hit people,” he added.
However, area residents who have taken shelter at River View High School and CM Ayub High School alleged that they are not getting adequate relief material.
-With The Independent input
