Continuous heavy rain and hill water coming down from upstream have caused flash floods in various upazilas of Moulvibazar. Low-lying areas of Kulaura, Kamalganj and Sadar upazilas have been flooded, leaving thousands of families marooned. The district administration has kept 115 shelters ready to deal with the situation.

Local sources said about 50 metres of embankment broke at Gopalichhara in Kulaura upazila, flooding at least 10 villages in Sadar union, including Bagajura, Hasanpur and Sripur. Several hundred people there are marooned and living in miserable conditions. In Akhailkura union of Moulvibazar Sadar upazila, severe erosion by the Manu river has swallowed a graveyard, a maktab and six homes.

In Kamalganj upazila, the Laghata river has overflowed, flooding low-lying areas of Patanushar, Munshibazar and Shamshernagar unions. Water has also entered Purba Nandiura and Bhujbal villages next to the Udna river in Rajnagar upazila, submerging many roads. With water entering homes, residents of the affected areas are struggling to cope with their livestock and furniture.

According to the district administration, various steps have been taken to deal with the flash floods. The district's 7 upazilas have been allocated 100 tonnes of rice and Tk 3,60,000, and 115 shelters have been kept ready. All upazila nirbahi officers have been told to monitor the flood situation and make the necessary preparations.

According to the Moulvibazar Water Development Board, three days of heavy rain and upstream runoff have raised the Manu, Dhalai, Kushiyara and Juri rivers. The Juri is flowing above the danger level. The rivers rose in the morning but began to fall from midday, and the water will recede quickly if there is no more rain.

Kamal Ahmed, marooned in Patanushar union of Kamalganj, said the water rose abnormally from midnight because of the rain, and by morning it had reached their road and homes.

Kulaura Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Mohiuddin said he had visited the affected areas. Although water had entered several villages and submerged roads, it was receding quickly, he said.

Moulvibazar Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Rajib Hossain said about 0.40 decimal of land along the Manu river in Akhailkura union had eroded into the river, affecting several families. "We visited the area at night and again today during the day. So far the situation is normal," he said.

Khaled Bin Walid, executive engineer of the Moulvibazar Water Development Board, said the rivers in the district had risen with the overnight rain but were still flowing below the danger level, and the rise was being monitored.

District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Mohammad Chhadu Mia said the deputy commissioner had already allocated rice and cash, and shelters had been readied for flood-hit people.

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