Severe Floods Submerge 10 Districts, 8 Lives Lost

 


Monsoonal low pressure and heavy rains triggered by hill slopes and the Bay of Bengal have caused severe flooding in 10 districts across the country. The rivers Surma-Kushiara, Dhalai, Manu, Khoai, Gomti, Muhuri, Feni, and Halda have overflowed in the eastern and northeastern regions, leading to widespread devastation.

The flood situation has worsened significantly in Feni, Comilla, Chittagong, Khagrachari, Noakhali, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, and Sylhet, with other districts also seeing a gradual deterioration. Over 3.7 million people are now facing an extreme humanitarian crisis.

The floods have claimed the lives of six individuals so far: four in Comilla, one in Feni, and one in Brahmanbaria.

The ongoing rescue efforts have been hampered by the lack of sufficient boats and other rescue vehicles, making it difficult to transport those stranded to safe shelters. From Thursday afternoon, the army, navy, air force, BGB, law enforcement, and various political, social, and private organizations have been doing their utmost to assist flood victims. The government has also launched several initiatives and called for public support to aid those affected by the floods.

Officials report that Feni district is the hardest hit. Residents there have not witnessed such severe flooding in 40 years, leaving hundreds of thousands stranded between life and death, pleading for rescue. However, due to adverse weather conditions and rising water levels, evacuating them to safety has become nearly impossible. There are fears of a significant loss of life if the flood victims are not rescued soon.

By Thursday, Feni, Comilla, Chittagong, Khagrachari, Noakhali, Moulvibazar, Sylhet, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, and Lakshmipur were inundated. A total of 65 upazilas and 495 unions in these districts have been submerged.

Meteorologist Mustafa Kamal Palash, a PhD researcher in meteorology and climate at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, told Kalbela that monsoonal low pressure remains over Bangladesh. As of Wednesday afternoon, it was still hovering over the Chittagong area, with no signs of moving eastward. As a result, rain is expected across most parts of the country until Thursday night.

He added that a strong Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is present in the Bay of Bengal, leading to the regular formation of warm, moist air over the ocean, which then flows towards the coast. The 'jet stream' is currently positioned over Central Asia, causing rainfall in both India and Bangladesh.

Palash mentioned that the opening of India's Bharat Dam is another contributing factor to the floods. The rivers have reached their capacity due to heavy rains, and India is also facing floods. Every year, India opens its dams during floods, and this year, some dam gates have been opened while others have broken due to excessive water.

When these three factors occur simultaneously, the amount of rainfall in the affected area is significantly higher than usual, leading to landslides and floods. The last time such conditions were seen was in June 2017, centered in Chittagong, resulting in hundreds of deaths due to landslides.

Palash warned that there is a high risk of 100-300 mm of rainfall in different districts by midnight on Thursday. The rain is expected to decrease from Friday.

Flood Outlook:

According to the latest meteorological data at 5:30 pm on Thursday, heavy rainfall may decrease in the northeastern region and adjacent upstream areas over the next 24 hours. During this time, the flood situation in low-lying areas adjacent to the Manu, Khoai, and Dhalai rivers in Moulvibazar and Habiganj districts may begin to stabilize and improve.

Similarly, heavy rainfall may decrease in the southeastern, eastern, and adjoining uplands. As a result, the flood situation in low-lying areas along the Muhuri, Feni, Gomti, and Halda rivers in Feni, Comilla, and Chittagong districts may also start to improve.

Officials' Leave Canceled:

The interim government has taken several measures to address the flood crisis. The Ministry of Water Resources canceled the leave of all Water Development Board officers and employees as of Wednesday. Additionally, a control room has been established at the Water Development Board's flood forecasting and warning center. The control room can be reached at 01318234962, 01765405576, 01559728158, and 01674356208 or via email at ffwcbwdb@gmail.com and ffwc05@yahoo.com.

The Ministry of Water Resources also held an emergency meeting on Thursday. Secretary Nazmul Ahsan emphasized the need to provide maximum service to those affected by the sudden floods and ensure necessary facilities in shelters. He warned that any negligence in alleviating the suffering of flood victims or any complaints against officials would result in exemplary legal action. The secretary instructed officials to work in coordination with students, the military, and local administration.

He also stressed the importance of arranging adequate boats for rescue operations and, if necessary, hiring additional boats. The energy and resources of the youth should be harnessed for this purpose.

Damages and Government Relief:

According to government data, as of Thursday evening, 3.645 million people from 586,040 families across 10 districts have been affected by the floods. Six deaths have been reported across three districts. A total of 2,246 shelters have been opened, accommodating 82,694 people and 7,755 livestock. In addition, 492 medical teams are on the ground providing care to the victims.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has allocated 3.5 million taka in cash and 1,600 tons of rice to Chittagong. Comilla has received 4.5 million taka and 2,600 tons of rice, while Feni, the most affected district, has been given 6.2 million taka and 2,900 tons of rice. Allocations have also been made to Noakhali, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Lakshmipur, and Khagrachari. Additionally, sufficient relief supplies are stocked across all districts in the country.

The government has directed district commissioners in flood-affected areas to coordinate efforts with the anti-discrimination student movement, military, medical teams, and other volunteers. A 24-hour control room has been set up at the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, reachable at 0255101115 for information and assistance.

Mobile Network Issues:

Adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Dr. Nahid Islam, reported that 13 percent of the flood-affected areas are experiencing network outages due to optical fiber damage and power outages. Generators are in use, and 10 VSATs are on standby in case of further network failures. The affected areas have been instructed to offer free mobile network access.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has also provided contact numbers for the flood situation in Feni, the worst-hit district. They include Feni NDC and Executive Magistrate Tanveer Ahmed (01713187304), Lt Commander Saiful (01769754103), and Major Fahim (01769333192).

District-wise Flood Updates:

·      Comilla: The Gomti River has overflowed due to continuous rain and water inflow from India, submerging around 4,000 hectares of cropland. Four fatalities have been reported, with victims including Keramat Ali (45) of Daudpur, Kishore Rafi (15) of Comilla town, Shahadat Hossain (34) of Sonakatia, and an unidentified child in Laksam.

·     Feni: Severe floods have claimed one life in Feni, with several people missing. The army and navy are conducting rescue operations, with 160 personnel and 40 rescue vehicles deployed. More than 40 villages have been submerged, and rescue efforts are ongoing.

·   Lakshmipur: Continuous rain and rising water levels in the Meghna River have caused waterlogging, trapping about 600,000 people. Local administration is working with residents to remove illegal dams obstructing water flow and providing dry food to those affected.

·       Noakhali: Flooding worsened by rain and water from the Muhuri River has left 400,000 people stranded. Rural road communication has been cut off, and educational institutions have been closed. The district disaster committee held an emergency meeting on Thursday to address the crisis.

·    Brahmanbaria: Heavy rains and hill slopes from India have led to flooding in 34 villages, trapping about 500 families and damaging crops and fish farms. A pregnant woman, Subarna Akhter (19), drowned in floodwaters in Birchandrapur.

·   Chittagong: Incessant rain has flooded the lower areas of Chittagong city and surrounding upazilas, affecting at least 100,000 people. The district administration has prepared 239 shelters and suspended train services from Chittagong.

·    Khagrachari: Severe floods have submerged 30 villages, with thousands of people trapped. Relief efforts are ongoing, but reaching remote areas remains challenging. Floodwaters have begun to recede in some parts of Khagrachari Sadar, but the situation in Dighinala remains critical.

·      Cox's Bazar: Over 200 villages have been flooded, stranding at least 300,000 people. Regional and rural roads are submerged, and two people have died in the floods. Rescue operations and dry food distribution are being prepared.

·       Sylhet: Heavy rain and hill slopes from India have raised water levels in Sylhet's rivers, causing the Surma, Kushiara, and Dhalai rivers to overflow and flood at least 20 villages. The situation remains dire, but no deaths have been reported.

·      Moulvibazar: Rain and water from India have submerged parts of the Moulvibazar district. Low-lying areas are flooded, but efforts to prevent the flooding of Moulvibazar town are being made. Local authorities have suspended classes and are preparing to distribute dry food to those affected.

Navy and Air Force Efforts:

The Navy and Air Force are actively involved in rescue operations across the affected districts. The Navy has deployed ships, speedboats, and divers, while the Air Force is using helicopters to drop relief supplies to those stranded in remote areas.