Over 100,000 people living in at least 53 villages under four upazilas of Jamalpur have been marooned as the areas are submerged by the recent flood, which is deteriorating day by day.
The flood in the four upazilas - Islampur, Dewanganj, Bakshiganj and Melandah - is worsening due to continuous rainfall and the upstream flow of water which is overflowing across the banks of Jamuna and Brahmaputra.
Till Sunday 11pm, almost 1,00,000 people of 15,224 families, in 53 villages of 13 unions under the four upazilas, have been suffering from water-logging.
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Nayeb Ali confirmed the matter.
Abdul Mannan, a gauge reader of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Jamalpur branch, said the water is flowing 80cm above the danger level at Bahadurabad Ghat Point as of Sunday 11pm.
Meanwhile, due to the rapid increase in floodwaters, water is entering crop fields, roads, and educational institutions of the low-lying areas and flooding new areas.
Islampur Upazila’s Sapdari Union Council Chairman Joynal Abedin said: "New chars [islands] in Sapdari union, situated in the middle of Jamuna, had already been flooded since Ashar [mid-April to mid-May].
“Floodwaters have entered 3,000 houses in these chars including Prajapatichar, Charshishua, Charnandanerpara, Amtali, and Kasharidoba."
Chinaduli Union Council Chairman Abdus Salam said: "This year's early floods have blocked roads and caused water and food shortage in the island areas of Jamuna.
“Almost 8,000 people of 4,000 families in the low lying areas are trapped in the water.”
He added: “20 tons of GR rice has been distributed as relief in the flood-affected areas of Islampur and Dewanganj and requisition for 350 tons of rice, Tk7 lakh and 2,000 packets of dry food have been made to the Disaster Management Department.”
Jamalpur WDB Executive Engineer Md Abu Saeed said: “The water level in the Jamuna is still rising rapidly, as well as in other rivers like the Brahmaputra.”
Child dies in floodwaters in Madarganj
A child named Sohan Mia, 7, died in the floodwaters in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur on Sunday evening.
He was the son of Babul Mia of Mirzapur village in Balijuri union of the upazila.
According to local sources, Babul Mia's son suddenly fell into the floodwaters and disappeared.
He was not found even after thorough searching. The child's body was later found floating in the water at around 8pm.
Madarganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Aminul Islam confirmed the incident.
