The ground floor of a primary school, goes underwater due to uprising of water levels in several rivers across Netrakona district. Photo: The Daily Observer
Torrential rainfall has led to water levels to rise, caused a renewed surge in floodwaters, inundating numerous regions in Netrakona district on Tuesday.
Netrakona Water Development Board (WDB) recorded highest 65 millimeters of rainfall at Jhanzail area in the district over last 24 hours.
According to the WDB office, from 6 AM to 10 AM, Jaria Bazar area of Purbadhala upazila received the significant rainfall. Confirming the matter, executive engineer Sawar Jahan said that the water level of the Ubdakhali River at Kalmakanda Dak Bungalow Point, was flowing 23 centimeters above the danger level, which is set at 6.55 meters.
Several rivers of Netrakona district have been flowing avobe the danger level. Photo: The Daily Observer
However, the Someshwari River in Durgapur and the Kangsha River in Sadar upazila were still flowing below the danger marks at various points.
Heavy rain and water runoff from upstream have caused water levels to rise in all major rivers in the region. The water from Sherpur's Bhogai-Kangsha river flows into the Ubdakhali river via the Kangsha River at Jaria area in Kalmakanda, worsening the flood situation in Durgapur, Kalmakanda, Purbadhala, Barhatta, and Sadar upazilas.
According to local sources and the district administration, at least 131 villages in 27 unions across various upazilas in the district have been flooded. Approximately 65,000 people are now waterlogged, with 43 families seeking refuge in 10 emergency shelters.
The flood has submerged around 20,000 hectares of Aman rice fields, while 209 educational institutions, including 186 government primary schools, have been closed. Furthermore, 215 fish ponds have been swept away, and nearly 310 kilometers of rural roads remain underwater.
Nazrul Islam, a farmer from Noktipara village in Kalmakanda upazila, said, "The water levels have been rising since morning. I had cultivated Aman rice on three acres of land, and some of the rice plants were starting to sprout. But now there's three to eight feet of water over the entire field. I don't think the crops will survive."
Farmers Rahmat Ali from Santipur village in Durgapur and Jahangir Mahmud from Shibganj upazilas expressed similar concerns, saying, "For four days, the entire village's paddy fields have been underwater. None of the crops will be saved. We are also facing trouble with our livestocks, as we have been forced to keep them on higher roads under the open sky. Without hay, it's becoming difficult to feed them."
District Commissioner Bonani Biswas said, "Since Tuesday morning, water levels have been rising again. The embankment along the Kangsha River in the Jaria area has broken in two places, worsening the flood situation in Purbadhala, Sadar, and Barhatta upazilas. Crops are being damaged as well, but we are doing our best to manage the situation."
She added that so far, the district administration has distributed Tk 300,000, 2,800 packets of dry food, and 70 tons of rice to those affected. Additional resources are being allocated based on the needs of the communities.
