The flood situation in the country continued to worsen Sunday as the water started flowing downstream to the central regions from the north-east districts with risk of landslides in hilly areas.

While Sylhet, Sunamganj districts remained worst-hit in flooding from heavy rainfall and onrush of upstream waters, disrupted lives of millions in Moulvibazar, Netrakona, Sherpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Kishoreganj districts.

Water level in different upazilas and Sylhet city area started receding on Sunday.

“We could not count the rainfall from 6 am to 4 pm on Sunday as it was too little to be counted. From Monday the sky will become less cloudy, decreasing the rainfall. It will also improve the flood situation,” said Sayeed Chowdhury, senior metrologist from Sylhet Met office.

Meanwhile rail communication with Sylhet was restored after 24 hours on Sunday at 12:55 pm after the train started operating on Dhaka-Sylhet route, said Nurul Islam, Sylhet Railway Station Manager.

Power supply to Sylhet was disrupted on Saturday after flood water entered the Kumargaon grid power substation and the authorities were forced to shut it down, suspending power supply to the two districts. Later in the afternoon, the electricity supply was restored partially in some parts of Sylhet city, which falls within the district

Power supply was restored in several areas of the city including Zindabazar, Chauhatta, Amberkhana, Bandarbazar, Nayasarak, Nayor Pool, Shahi Eidgah, Tilagarh, Baluchar and Mirer Maidan from Saturday 8 pm .

Up to one lakh people have so far been evacuated from the flood-hit Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman said on Sunday.

Nearly 40 lakh people have been marooned in the two districts in one of the worst floods in the region in memory.

The rain-fed deluge inundated 60 percent areas in Sylhet district and 90 percent areas in Sunamganj district, the state minister told reporters at the Secretariat.

Already 75,000 people have taken shelter in different centers in Sunamganj and 30,000 people in Sylhet did the same.

The flood situation slightly improved in Sylhet while it remained static in Sunamganj district. Besides, the flood situation worsened in Habiganj and Moulvibazar districts.

The flood situation in north-eastern areas may improve but it will turn worse in the adjacent northern parts of the country due to rise in water levels of Brahmaputra and Teesta, he said.

The electricity supply to Sunamganj district and its adjacent areas had to be disconnected to avoid accidents as Chhatak and Sunamganj grid substations went under flood water.

Meanwhile, more than one lakh people of Chhatak upazila remained under flood waters till Saturday afternoon. People of the upazila have not received any kind of assistance including relief from the administration

Netrakona

Millions of people remained waterlogged in 62 unions of eight upazilas of Netrakona district due to the flood.

According to Netrokona WDB, the water level of all rivers in the districts including Kangsha, Magra, Someshwari, Dhanu, Ubdakhal are following a rising trend amid incessant heavy rains.

The Ubdakhali River was flowing at 112 cm above the danger level at Kalmakanda Point on Sunday morning.

Rail Communication on Dhaka-Netrakona route went back to normal after it was snapped on Saturday morning when the 23rd rail bridge between Mohonganj and Atitpur Rail Station collapsed due to strong current of floodwater, said Nazmul Haque Khan, Station Master of Netrakona Railway station. However, the bridge could not be repaired yet, he said.

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Moulvibazar

Three days' incessant rains added with upstream water from hilly areas marooned 2.07 lakh people of 325 villages of 35 unions in Moulvibazar district, said the district administration.

Meanwhile one died and another was injured by a landslide caused by heavy rain.

Power supply in Juri and Baralekha upazilas remained suspended after water entered a power substation on Sunday.

So far 24 families were rescued from risky areas and moved to the shelter centres in the district

Sherpur

The overall flood situation in the three upazilas of Sherpur district, Jhinaigati, Nalitabari and Sribordi improved as the rainfall and onrush of upstream water declined on Sunday.

But the flood water now inundating the low-lying regions like Gazir Khamar and Urfa union in Nakla upazila and adjacent areas.

The sufferings of waterlogged people in Kuchnipara, Aynapur, in Dhanshail union of Jhinaigati upazila, Sarikalinagar, Darikalinagar, Hatibanda, Malijhikanda union of sadar upazila, Kalashpara, Jogania, and Marichpurana unions of Nalitabari upazilas are not declining yet after getting relief from the Ansar VDP members.

An eight-year old boy named Atiq from the Khailakura area in Jhinaigati upazila remained missing for the last two days after he floated away with the high current of flood water, said UP member Zahidul Haque Monir.

Lalmonirhat

In Lalmonirhat around 5,000 families of five upazilas remained stranded amid flood water as Teesta River flowed above the danger level due to heavy rainfall and rush of upstream water.

On Sunday, at Dalia point of Teesta Barrage the water level was flowing 7cm above the danger level at 9 am but with the advent of the day it started to lower, said Asfa Ud Doula, Executive Engineer of Water Development Board (Dalia point division).

“All the gates of the barrage have been opened to let the swelling water level flow down,” he said

According to locals, thousands of families remained marooned at low-lying areas of Teesta bank like Dahagarm in Patgram upazila, Saniajan, Gaddimari, Sindurna, Patikapara, Singimari, in Hatibandha upazila, Mahishkhocha, Palashi in Kaliganj upazila, Khuniagach, Rajpur, Gokunda UP in the sadar upazila.

Also read: One lakh flood-affected people evacuated in Sylhet, Sunamganj

Kishoreganj

The upstream water and incessant rain has flooded vast area of Itna, Mithamain, Ashtagram, Nikli upazila in Kishoreganj as drizzling continued on Sunday

Since Saturday night, 15 villages of Itna and Karimganj upazila in Kishoreganj district were snapped from power supply, drowning 10,000 consumers in darkness amid flooding, said Md Abul Kalam, General manager of Kishorgdanj Rural Electrification Board.

“The power supply was suspended due to stormy weather. It will be restored immediately after water level declines and weather conditions improve,” he said.

Meanwhile, 120 shelter centers for flood-hit peoples to take refuge in have been opened by the district administration

Kurigram

More than two lakh people in 150 villages of nine upazilas in Kurigram district stranded amid flood are facing an extreme crisis of dry food, potable water, and cow-feed.

In the last three days water level in Brahmaputra and Dharala Rivers kept rising and inundating newer regions in the district.

On Sunday morning Brahmaputra was flowing 32 cm at Chilmari point and Dharala 27 cm at Shetu point above the danger level, said the officials.

So far 65 educational institutes were shut in the districts and 3,000 hectares of cropland went under water, said Abdur Rashid, Deputy Director of Agricultural Extension Department.

Rangamati

Around 10 low-lying areas in Baghaichari upazila of Rangamati have been inundated as Kachalong river was flowing above its danger level triggered by the continuous heavy rains and onrush of water from the upstream.

Floodwaters entered the areas around the municipality, Atmali, Rupkari and Bangaltali Union since Sunday morning, causing severe damage to fish enclosures and crop lands.

Meanwhile, the deck of Chandraghona Ferry Terminal was partially inundated as Karnaphuli river continued to swell on Sunday evening. If the water level rises further ferry communication between Chattogram-Rangamati and Bandarban will be snapped, said Shahjahan, supervisor of the terminal.

Besides, there is a huge risk of landslides in Marisha-Dighinala road and hilly areas due to continuous heavy rains for several days, said Baghaichhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shariful Islam. Fourteen shelters of the upazila have been kept ready to deal with this natural calamity, the UNO added.

Rupkari UP Chairman Jasmine Chakma said about 40 families at Rupkari were marooned amid flood.