The terrible memory of the catastrophic flood of August 2024 has not left the people of Feni, and the wounds of losing homes, crops and belongings are still raw. Now, with hill torrents from upstream and continuous rain from an active monsoon, the district's main rivers have begun to rise. A recent warning from the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre has spread fresh fear across the district.

Residents of chars and riverbanks in particular are again gripped by dread. The Feni weather office recorded 96 millimetres of rain in the previous 24 hours and said the monsoon was quite active, so rainfall could increase. The rivers were still below the danger level, but with rain continuing upstream they could rise further from Tuesday morning, and the Water Development Board asked everyone to stay alert rather than panic.

Md Mojibur Rahman, officer in charge of the Feni weather office, said 96 millimetres of rain was recorded in the district in the 24 hours to 9pm on Monday. The rain could continue until 9 July, and possibly beyond.

The Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said moderate to heavy rain had been falling for several days in India's Tripura state and nearby hills, pushing up the Muhuri, Kahua and Selonia rivers in Feni quickly. If rainfall increases further over the next 48 hours, the rivers risk crossing the danger level and flooding wide areas. The biggest worry is the embankments in Parshuram, Fulgazi and Chhagalnaiya upazilas. Embankments breached in the 2024 flood have been patched up in many places, but local people doubt they can withstand strong water pressure.

In August 2024 about 95 per cent of Feni district went under water. Md Sahed of Fulgazi upazila said: "When I think of the 2024 flood I still can't sleep at night. The water rose to the roof of the house. I lost everything. Hearing again that the rivers may overflow, my heart is trembling."

The Water Development Board (WDB) has given assurance that it is closely monitoring the situation on the ground.

Monirul Islam, executive engineer of the Feni Water Development Board, said the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre had issued a forecast for five districts including Feni. Rain was falling in the district, and heavy rain or hill torrents could cause flooding, but the board was on maximum alert and fully prepared.

Md Fahaddis Hossain, sub-assistant engineer of the Feni board, said the danger level on the Muhuri, Kahua and Selonia is 12.55 metres, and at 9.30pm on Monday the rivers were flowing at 8 metres, still below the danger level. With rain continuing upstream they could rise further from Tuesday morning, so people should stay alert rather than panic.

Feni Deputy Commissioner Monira Haque said river levels were being monitored regularly, as was rainfall across the border. A meeting of the district disaster management committee had been called, and dry food stocks and volunteers had been kept ready so that any disaster could be handled quickly.

In August 2024, in one of the worst floods in Feni's history, about 18 lakh people in the district's six upazilas were marooned and at least 29 died. Hundreds of thousands lived in miserable conditions with electricity and mobile networks cut. Many have still not overcome that trauma, and people in Fulgazi, Parshuram and Chhagalnaiya in particular panic at even a small rise in the rivers.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.