Khorshed Alam, Sherpur

For the last few days of continuous heavy rains and water from the hills coming down from upstream caused floods and now the overall flood situation in three upazilas of Sherpur has improved, but two unions of Sherpur Sadar and three unions of Nakla upazila have been flooded.

Hundreds of thousands of people from 5 unions have become watertight.

The water in Bhogai and Chellakhali in Nalitabari has started to recede, and hundreds of villages in the lower areas have been flooded. Relief and rescue work is going on till now 7 dead, 1 missing. Hundreds of thousands of families are stuck in water.

The water is rising in the lower areas, the relief aid is insufficient. 7 people including two brothers died in the terrible flood of mountain landslides.

The deceased are two brothers Hatim Ali and Alamgir Hossain of Abhaypur village of Nanni union, Idris Ali of Andharupar village of Nayabil union drowned while crossing the road, Omija Begum wife of Manik Mia of Baghber Balurchar village of Baghber union and Batkuchi of Poragaon union while crossing the road. Jahura Begum, wife of Abdul Hekim of the village, and a young man died on Monday in Nakla upazila.

The water of Bhogai and Chellakhali rivers in Nalitabari has started decreasing since night.

As a result, the flood situation has improved in 8 unions upstream, but it has deteriorated in 4 unions of Yogania, Morichpuran, Kalspar, Rajnagar.

The two-lane road of Nalitabari-Nakla upazila has been submerged in torrential water.

6 speed boats of the Army are working to evacuate the water-bound people, poultry, cows and goats. Being taken to a shelter.

According to the information of Sherpur Water Development Board, at 10 am on Sunday, the water of Bhogai river is flowing below the danger line by 53 cm. Chellakhali river water is flowing 53 cm below the danger line.

65 mm of rain has been recorded in Nalitabari upazila since on Monday morning.

Sherpur District Fisheries Officer Pranop Kumar Karmakar said that 6,000 ponds were flooded with fish worth 50 crore taka.

Aman crops and vegetable crops of acres of land have been severely damaged.

Rural roads and bridges have been destroyed due to the water from the mountain torrents and the road communication has been cut off. Hundreds of pedestrians have to suffer.

Locals have demanded the repair of dilapidated roads and dilapidated embankments.

There is a shortage of clean drinking water in waterlogged areas. The people of waterlogged areas are suffering greatly with cattle and poultry along with food shortage. Many farmers have suffered damage to their chicken farms.

Dr. Md. Jasim Uddin, Civil Surgeon of Sherpur said that health workers are working in the area on behalf of the district health department to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases in the flood-affected areas.

Water purification tablets and other measures have been taken among the people of waterlogged areas.

Sherpur District Fisheries Officer said fish worth several crores of rupees were washed away in thousands of ponds. As a result, thousands of fish farmers are in trouble.

Hundreds of thousands of mud houses have been destroyed by the water of the impressive hillock. Many homeless have taken shelter in various educational institutions.

And many people have been living inhuman life under the open sky with their children. Even though the water has gone down from Aner's house, the stove is not burning in the destroyed house.

The amount of dry food and cooked khichdi distributed by the administration. It is insufficient compared to the requirement.

Thousands of acres of Aman crops and vegetable fields were submerged under water. Thousands of farmers have been distraught as the rising Aman crops have been damaged.
Working people cannot go to work. They have been living a subhuman life of starvation and half-starvation.

Electricity supply was cut off in the area from Thursday night after the power pole was uprooted by the water from the mountain torrent. It is known that the electricity department has been supplying electricity irregularly.

Various educational institutions are still under water. Roads in the flood-affected areas have been destroyed by the water from the hills and the communication system has been cut off.

Sherpur Executive Engineer of LGED Mostafizur Rahman said that the destroyed roads have not been listed. The list will be prepared after the water recedes completely.

Humayun Kabir, Additional Deputy Director of Sherpur District Farm Bari, said that around 15,000 hectares of Aman plantations have been submerged in the water from the hill slopes.

300 hectares of vegetable fields have been damaged. He said the amount of damage could be more. Officials are working in the field in this regard, it will be known later.

Tarafdar Mahmudur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of Sherpur said that the situation has improved a lot as the water from the hills started to decrease in Nalitabari, Jhenaigati and Srivardi upazilas.

However, some unions of Nalitabari upazila are still unchanged. Army is working to evacuate people from waterlogged areas.

He said the government would help the homeless family members for their rehabilitation. He said that apart from the administration's life-saving measures, relief distribution activities are continuing in the private sector.

Until the situation is brought under control, the administration, army and fire service are coordinating to rescue the people of the waterlogged area. But he assured that this problem will be solved soon.