River levels are falling in Moulvibazar and the flood situation is improving. But as the water recedes, waterborne diseases have appeared. Continuous heavy rain and hill runoff from upstream in India had caused flooding in the district over the past four days.

The flood situation began to improve as the rivers started falling from the morning of Saturday, 11 July. But although the floodwater has gone down, suffering in the flood-hit areas has not eased, and various waterborne diseases in particular have appeared.

Continuous heavy rain and runoff from upstream breached the Manu and Dhalai rivers and caused the flood. Rajnagar, Kamalganj, Kulaura and Sadar upazilas of the district were inundated. Roads and houses went under water, leaving many families short of food and clean water. After the flood eased, waterborne diseases have broken out in these areas, with people of all ages suffering from diarrhoea, dysentery, colds and fever, and allergies.

Visits to the flood-hit areas of the district on Sunday, 12 July, found that breaches in the flood protection embankments of the Manu and Dhalai rivers had left about 10,000 families in 28 unions of Sadar, Kamalganj, Rajnagar and Kulaura upazilas marooned since Thursday. Some 2,000 people took refuge in shelters. Since the water began to fall on Saturday, waterborne diseases have appeared, and with clean water and food in short supply people are suffering from diarrhoea, dysentery, colds and fever, and allergies.

Jewel Mia, Matin and Sadik Mia, flood victims in Kamarchak union of Rajnagar upazila, said: "After two days under water, the water went down last night. But since then people are falling ill again. Some in our families have a fever, others have diarrhoea."

Moulvibazar Civil Surgeon Dr Md Mamunur Rahman said medical teams had been formed in the flood-hit areas and enough medicine had been stocked so that everyone could get treatment for waterborne diseases.

Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner Towhiduzzaman Pavel said food, rice and cash had already been allocated for flood victims, and a medical team had been formed for every flood-hit area.

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