The floods in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Moulvibazar districts may further deteriorate as heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over the north-eastern, northern and adjoining upstream parts of the country in 24 to 48 hours from 9am on Wednesday.
New areas have been flooded in Sylhet as rivers overflowed their danger points. Four days of continuous rains and hill runoff continued to deteriorate the floods in the district.
The waters of the Surma River, which divides Sylhet city into two parts, flooded various areas, particularly those close to its banks. The persistent flooding is causing great sufferings to city residents.
The floods along the Monu-Khowai river, in low-lying areas of Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts may remain steady.
Our Sylhet Correspondent reported continuous heavy rainfall over the past two days has aggravated the floods in Sylhet for the second time in 20 days.
Nearly four lakh people are marooned by floods in Sylhet city and throughout the district.
In the metropolitan area alone, 10,000 people in 15 wards have been affected by floods, said Sylhet district administration sources.
Sylhet experienced the first phase of flooding on May 27, affecting approximately seven lakh people in all its upazilas.
The flood waters did not fully recede due to heavy rains and waters from the hills aggravated flooding .
Heavy rainfall on the morning of Eid-ul-Azha celebration was followed by a brief break but the rains resumed on Tuesday dawn, causing significant rise of waters in all the rivers and streams in Sylhet.
On the Eid day, two rivers flowed above their danger points at two locations. By Tuesday morning, four rivers flowed above their danger points at six locations.
According to the district administration, 675,937 people in 13 upazilas, including Sylhet metropolitan area, were marooned till the midnight. Of them, 50,000 people in 21 out of 42 wards in Sylhet metropolitan remained marooned.
A total of 627 shelter centres have been opened in the district. Of these, 80 are in the metropolitan areas. A total of 17,285 people have taken shelter in these centres. However, most people are not willing to leave their homes to go to these shelters.
A total of 1,323 villages in 13 upazilas of the district have been inundated. The worst affected are: Gowainghat, Jaintapur, Golapganj, Companiganj, Kanaighat, Zakiganj, Biswanath and Osmaninagar upazilas. Sylhet is grappling with fresh flooding which affected Eid celebrations across the division.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Mohibbur Rahman, accompanied by ministrys officials overflew the flooded areas in a helicopter in the morning to see the condition of the marooned. He is scheduled to leave Sylhet for Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon.
On orders from Mayor Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, Sylhet City Corporation is distributing cooked and dry food, pure water, medicines and other essentials to the marooned people outside the shelters.
Our Sunamganj Correspondent added that The low-lying areas in seven upazilas in Sunamganj have been submerged due to continuous rainfall and waters from upstream.
