RANGPUR, – Flood situation in seven northern districts in the Brahmaputra basin deteriorated further today following continuous onrush of water from upstream, marooning over five lakh people.
District administrations have intensified distribution of relief among flood-affected people of Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Bogra and Sirajganj districts.
According to Water Development Board (WDB), water levels of all major rivers except Teesta were continuing to rise and flowing above respective danger marks at 10 points in these seven districts this afternoon.
Superintending Engineer (SE) of WDB for Rangpur Circle-1 Harun Ar Rashid said officials of WDB, district administration and local leaders are monitoring the situation constantly and taking necessary steps to stand beside the flood-affected people.
Teesta was flowing 20cm above danger level at Dalia and Kawnia, Dharla by 81cm at Kurigram, Brahmaputra by 40cm at Noonkhawa and 76cm at Chilmari points, he said.
The Jamuna was flowing 83cm above the danger mark at Fulchhari, 81cm at Bahadurabad, 45cm at Sariakandi and 9cm at Kazipur points while Ghaghot by 55cm above at Gaibandha points.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officers (DRRO) for Lalmonirhat Ali Haider said, they have got allocations of 450 tonnes of rice, Taka 5.50 lakh and 4,000 packets of dry foods from the government.
He said 150 tonnes of rice, Taka 2.50 lakh in cash and 1,403 boxes of dry foods were distributed among 16,816 flood-hit families of 15 unions in five upazilas, he said.
DRRO for Rangpur ATM Akhteruzzaman said the government has already allocated 600 tonnes of rice and Taka eight lakh.
“We have allocated 110 tonnes of rice and huge dry foods for distribution among 2,600 affected families of three upazilas in Rangpur,” DRRO said.
Kurigram DRRO Khairul Anam said the government has allocated Taka eight lakh, 500 tonnes of rice and 4,000 packets of dry foods for distribution among flood-hit families.
‘We have already allocated 280 tonnes of rice, 2,000 packets of dry foods and Taka 6.75 lakh for distribution among 2.14-lakh people of 53,551 flood-hit families in all nine upazilas of the district,” he said.
DRRO of Nilphamari SA Hayat said, they have got 450 tonnes of rice, Taka 7.50 lakh and 4,000 packets of dry foods for flood-affected people where overall flood situation marked significant improvement today.
He said, 170 tonnes of rice, Taka 2.50 lakh and 2,000 packets of and dry foods were distributed among 2,889 families of Dimla upazila in Nilphamari, he said.
Bogura DRRO Azhar Ali Mandol said 57,280 people of 14,060 families have been affected by flood in 13 unions of three upazilas in the district.
“We have got 500 tonnes of rice, Taka eight lakh and 2,000 packets of dry foods and allocated 112 tonnes of rice and 2,000 packets of dry foods for flood-hit people,” Mandol added.
