The Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has issued an early flood warning for Sunamganj following a forecast of very heavy rain in Cherrapunji and the Meghalaya hills in India. The warning has left thousands of boro farmers in the haor areas deeply worried about bringing their crop home.

Moderate to heavy rain began in the district early on Sunday (26 April), disrupting harvesting and threshing.

The BWDB said widespread rain was likely in Sunamganj and in Cherrapunji from Sunday. This could make the Surma, Kushiyara and all other rivers in Sunamganj rise quickly, creating a flood situation in the district and damaging the boro crop.

Sunamganj has had rain and a nor'wester storm since Saturday afternoon (25 April), followed by moderate to heavy rain from early Sunday morning, while rain continues in Meghalaya. Farmers who cut their paddy quickly cannot thresh or dry it.

Ahmad Ali, a farmer in Karchar Haor, said: "Even if we manage to cut the paddy, we can't dry it because of the rain. On top of that, the BWDB's new warning has left us very anxious."

Abdulla Mia, a farmer in Matian Haor, said the BWDB had issued a fresh warning from the 26th for farmers to cut their haor paddy and bring it home. "But with the rain that has started, even cutting the paddy has become very hard for us," he said.

Kadir Mia, a farmer in Dekhar Haor, said farmers in Sunamganj had been worried ever since hearing that the district could flood, and many were cutting their paddy in panic.

Mamun Howlader, executive engineer of the BWDB in Sunamganj, said all rivers in the district were rising because the rain was continuing in Sunamganj and in Cherrapunji. The Surma in particular is flowing 2.31 metres below the danger mark. Farmers have been warned because a flood situation could develop in the district, he said.

Omar Faruk, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Sunamganj, said 45 per cent of the haor paddy had already been harvested, and all agriculture officials were in the field advising farmers.

The district administration opened a control room on Saturday night to handle disasters and reduce the risk of flash floods.

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