//2 lakh people suffer in Sherpur flood, death toll rises to 8//

Due to continuous rains and hill slopes coming down from upstream, the water of four hilly rivers is flowing below the danger level due to flooding in Sherpur. Even though the water level of the river has decreased, new areas are being flooded in the areas where the flood water is going down. Eight deaths have been reported in the district so far due to the floods. Besides, two lakh people have suffered due to floods.

However, on Sunday (October 6) afternoon, the Water Development Board said that the water will decrease as the sun rises and the rain subsides in the afternoon. However, most of the five upazilas of the district have been flooded. According to local sources, three upazilas of Sherpur bordering India have been waterlogged since last Thursday night due to continuous rain and landslides. More than two lakh people are trapped in water. The water is still rising in the lower areas. New areas are being flooded. The number of people trapped in water is increasing. More than two hundred villages have been submerged. Roads are down. People are running to shelters due to rising water in their houses. There is a food shortage. Relief aid did not reach remote rural areas as they could not be reached without boats. Besides, fish in ponds, vegetable fields, uncooked houses and cattle were swept away by the floods. Many rural unpaved roads including some roads have been destroyed. Many areas are virtually isolated. There is a shortage of food and clean water and fodder. Relief operations from the district administration are continuing.

Four deaths were reported till Saturday night in flood-hit Nalitabari. As of Sunday evening, two more deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to six. The deceased are Abu Hatim (30) and Alamgir Hossain (17), two sons of Bachir Uddin of Abhaypur village in Nanni union of Nalitabari, Omija Khatun (45), wife of Manik Mia of Baghber village of Baghber union, and Idris Mia (66) of Andharupara village of Nayabil union. In between, the police recovered the bodies of two brothers on Saturday night. After Friday afternoon, they left the house in search of safe shelter and were swept away by the Chellakhali river. At the same time, Jahura Khatun (45) of Batkuchi village was swept away and is missing. On the same day, Idris Miah was swept away while crossing the submerged road in the village and Omija Khatun drowned in the flood waters. The bodies of Khalilur Rahman (65) and another person were recovered from Sandhakura on Sunday. One of them has not been identified.

Nalitabari police station officer-in-charge (OC) Chanwar Hossain said, 'Six people have died in Nalitabari so far due to floods. One of them has not been identified. One is still missing.'

On the other hand, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Nakla police station, Habibur Rahman, reported the death of two people in the flood-affected Nakla upazila. He said, 'Ekon named Moktar Ali (50) died after being electrocuted by the electric wire in the flood water in Kurkerkanda of Urfa Union of Upazila. Another person named Abdur Razzak died after drowning in Ganjaria flood in Ganapaddi of the same upazila. According to information provided by the Sherpur Water Development Board on Sunday afternoon, water in Bhogai river in the district is flowing below 53 cm and Chellakhali is flowing below 53 cm. Apart from this, the water of two other mountain rivers Maharshi and Someshwari is below the danger level. Meanwhile, although the water level of Brahmaputra, Mirgi and Dashani rivers has increased, the water is flowing much below the danger level.

The district agriculture department has informed that so far 35,000 hectares of Aman paddy fields in the district have been submerged in water. 900 and a half hectares of vegetable crops are submerged in water.

Nakibuzzaman Khan, Executive Engineer of Sherpur Water Development Board, said that the water level of all rivers will decrease by Monday. The flood situation will improve.