21st June’24
I would like to share an update with you: the water levels in several rivers in Sylhet have begun to recede since Thursday (20 June) in response to the ongoing flood situation. Over the past few days, the rivers have experienced heavy rainfall and a significant influx of water from upstream. Moreover, today, the rate of water evaporation has increased compared to Thursday.
Situation in Sylhet District:-
According to the Weather Office, Sylhet has received 20 mm of precipitation in the past 24 hours, with no rainfall from Thursday noon until Friday morning. Sylhet has seen five instances of flooding within three weeks due to substantial precipitation, resulting in significant distress for the affected communities.
On Friday, June 21, the Water Development Board said that the Surma River exceeded the hazardous threshold by 16 cm at Sylhet Point and 65 cm at Kanaighat Point. On multiple occasions, the Kushiyara River surpassed the critical level.
There are 1,043,161 people in the Sylhet district administration, divided among 136 unions. We received the information on Friday afternoon. The second wave of flooding has affected approximately 60,000 individuals residing in 29 districts within the metropolitan region.
In Sylhet, approximately 29,000 people have taken shelter in 713 designated locations across 13 administrative regions and 29 subdivisions. Flooding has affected 1,602 villages in 136 out of 153 district unions. Gowainghat, Jaintapur, Golapganj, Companiganj, Kanaighat, Zakiganj, Biswanath, and Osmani Nagar have suffered significant damage.
Situation in Sunamganj District:-
According to the Deputy Commissioner of Sunamganj, flooding has affected eleven out of twelve upazilas in Sunamganj, including Sadar upazila and the municipality, displacing approximately 8.43 lakh people in the district.
The floods have affected 1,306 villages across 11 upazilas, yet 23,849 individuals have sought refuge in the 694 facilities within the district. The floodwater from upstream is inundating newly developed downstream neighbourhoods in Derai and Shulla. The local population’s suffering has significantly increased due to the impact on all twelve upazilas.
Situation in Moulvibazar District:-
The Moulvibazar flooding has tragically claimed the lives of at least two young children. Currently, more than twenty unions and seven upazilas in Moulvibazar are home to over 200,000 stranded individuals.
The overflowing rivers in the district have submerged 432 villages in 37 unions in Moulvibazar as a result of the flooding.
According to the Moulvibazar Water Development Board, the water level of the Manu River at Chandnighat has surged to 21 cm above the danger mark, while the Kushiara River at Sherpur Point has reached 18 cm above the danger mark. Additionally, the Dhalai River and Jiri River have risen to levels 5 cm and 202 cm above the danger mark, respectively.
According to the Deputy Commissioner of Moulvibazar district, relentless heavy rainfall has led to the submergence of 432 villages across six upazilas. We have established a total of 88 shelters to provide refuge for the affected individuals and to safeguard 5,571 vulnerable households.
The flooding has also caused the burial of some railway tracks in Moulvibazar, affecting Bangladesh Railways’ operations.
Situation in Habiganj District:-
The recent flood in the Habiganj region has destroyed approximately 57 km of asphalted roads within the purview of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). According to officials from the District Relief and Disaster Management Office, the flood situation in the district remains unchanged.
However, there is a positive trend in the decrease in individuals seeking shelter, with around 2,750 people currently residing in different centres. It’s notable that out of the 116 available shelters, only eight are currently in use, indicating a potential for repurposing or consolidating these resources.
Most of the shelters in the area are located in the Nabiganj upazila, highlighting the need to assess shelter distribution for better coverage and accessibility.