Relief has ensued among the inhabitants of Sunamganj's hapr area as river water has started to recede due to a break in weeks of incessant rains.
Sunamganj Water Development Board said the water level of major rivers in the district has also started decreasing due to the decrease in the amount of rainfall.
According to BWDB sources, the Surma is flowing 13 cm below the danger level at Sholghar point of Sunamganj Municipal at 12 noon on Wednesday. The water level was 7cm above the danger level during the same time yesterday.
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However, in Sunamganj’s Chhatak, the Surma is flowing 106 cm above the danger level despite decrease in rainfall.
Although the water level of the rivers has decreased, the people in low-lying areas of some upazilas of the district are yet to get respite from water-logging.
Low-lying areas of the district were inundated due to incessant rains and hill water from Meghalaya. People were preparing to take shelter elsewhere from the panic caused by last year's devastating floods.
However, the panic has decreased as the water has begun to recede.
Faruk Ahmed, chairman of Shantiganj Upazila Parishad in the district, said: "We have made elaborate preparations to deal with the disaster as there was a possibility of worsening flood situation. Roads have been submerged in many villages due to the rise in water level.”
“Now, with the sun in the sky, the water has started receding. There is no relief among the people of the area. However, the upazila administration is ready if the flood situation arises.”
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Md Mamun Hawlader, executive engineer of Sunamganj Water Development Board, said: “The water level will decrease further if there is no rain. However, light to moderate rain is still like in the days ahead. The river and the haor areas are still full of water. So if there is heavy rain and upstream flow from Meghalaya, the water may rise again.”
However, Mamun said there is no danger of major flooding.
Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner Didare Alam Mohammad Maksud Chowdhury said flood situation has not been created anywhere in Sunamganj despite the rising water level due to continuous rain and hill water from Meghalaya.
“If such a situation arises, necessary preparations have been made to deal with it,” he said.
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Last year, the residents of Sylhet district experienced a devastating flood as 70 percent of the district went under flood water while 10,000 homes were damaged, causing immense sufferings to thousands of people.