Flood situation deteriorates further in Gaibandha

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GAIBANDHA, Aug 16, 2017 (BSS) -Nearly two lakh people living in chars (shoals) and river basins in the district have been marooned with deterioration of the ongoing flood situation as water in the Brahmaputra and other rivers marked a further rise in 24 hours ending at 9 this morning.

The officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) here said the water level in the Brahmaputra rose by 03-cm during the period and it was flowing 103-cm above its danger level at Fulchharighat point of the district.

The other major rivers the Ghagot and the Karotoa also registered a further rise during the period and were flowing above their respective danger marks.

The Ghagot rose by 01-cm during the period and was flowing 83-cm over its danger mark at New Bridge Road point of the district town and the Karotoa rose by 14 and was flowing 44-cm over its danger mark at Katakhali Bridge point of Gobindaganj.

With the rise of water level in the rivers, the chars and the river basin including the mainland of 38 unions of Sundarganj, Sadar, Fulchhari, Saghata and Gobindaganj upazilas were submerged.

A total of 20,9239 people of 52,776 families of the upazilas have been marooned, said district relief and rehabilitation officer AKM Idris Ali.

As many as 16,708 flood affected people of 4,177 families of the upazilas took shelter at 69 flood shelter centres along with their movable assets, including domestic animals and poultry birds, he also said.

Deputy director of Department of Agriculture Extension AKM Ruhul Amin said the flood has submerged 17,178 hectares of land with standing crops particularly Aman seed bed, T-Aman land, and summer vegetables.

District Education Officer M Aminul Islam Mondal said 167 government primary schools of the upazilas have been closed as the flood water entered the schools. The BWDB is carrying out maintenance work at vulnerable points of river embankments with the help of members of Bangladesh Army.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Gautam Chandra Pal said 376 tonnes of rice and TK 8.60 were distributed to the flood victims of the upazila so far on an urgent basis.