Tens of thousands of people in Sunamganj, Sylhet, and Barishal districts have been marooned due to sudden flood water causing immense suffering to the residents.

Water in the rivers of Sunamganj and Sylhet were flowing above the danger level on Tuesday due to the onrush of upstream hilly waters from India while five rivers in Barishal breached the danger mark because of tidal bores. 

In Sunamganj, around 10 lakh people remained marooned in the district as the flood situation worsened in several areas including Chhatak upazila.

More than five lakh people, 500 villages of Chhatak remained marooned since Monday. Water flooded more than two hundred primary schools and a hundred secondary schools and madrasas in the upazila.

Around 10 kilometers of Gobindaganj-Chhatak-Tajpur road has been inundated due to the floodwater.

Mamanur Rahman, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Chhatak, said the administration has announced Boula Govt Primary School, Tatikona Govt Primary School, Paper Mill Primary School, and SPPM High School as flood shelter centers for the flood victims.

At least 70 families have already taken shelter at Paper Mill Primary School as water flooded their houses.

READ: Flood situation worsens in Sylhet; low-lying areas in city inundated

Water levels in the upazila have crossed 152cm in the Surma River.

Meanwhile, residents of low-lying areas in Sunamganj city have been forced to leave their houses, with the flood situation worsening in the wake of the Surma River breaching the danger mark.

UNB correspondent saw water entering the residential areas of Shoalaghar, Nabinagar, Dharargaon, Jail Road, North Arpin Nagar, Tegharia, and Barapara in the Sunamganj municipal area on Tuesday morning.

Due to incessant rains in neighbouring India’s Meghalaya district over the last few days and the onrush of upstream hilly waters, many rivers in Sunamganj have breached the danger mark.

“Water is flowing above the danger level at Sholaghar point of the Surma River in the city, along with other rivers like Jadukata River in Tahirpur. Adding to the woes, 102mm of rainfall have been recorded in Sunamganj in the last 24 hours," said Jahurul Islam, executive engineer of the Water Development Board.

On the outskirts of the city, villages along the riverbank like Ibrahimpur, Sadargarh, and low-lying areas of Chatak, Tahirpur, Derai, Shalla, and Jamalganj were also flooded.

Tahirpur and Bishwambarpur upazilas have been cut off from Sunamganj city, with the connecting road getting submerged.

In Sylhet, thousands of city dwellers marooned in their inundated homes in the city as heavy rains and onrush of upstream hilly waters have worsened the flood situation.

The floodwater entered dwelling houses, shops, and other establishments as the Surma River burst banks flowing above its danger point, inundating the suburbs of Sylhet city including Sobhanighat, Kalighat, Chandnighat, Chararapar, Sheikhghat, Taltala, Kalapara, Majumdarpara, Machimpur.

People spent sleepless nights in different parts of the city on Monday as the water level continued to rise. The city dwellers were extremely busy shifting their important and urgent belongings and arranging safe shelter.

Shelters have been opened at Kishori Mohan and Machimpur schools in the city for the flood victims, said Nur Azizur Rahman, chief executive officer of Sylhet City Corporation.

According to Sylhet Water Development Board, the Surma River at Kanaighat point was flowing at 1.43 metres above the danger level at 9am on Tuesday which was at 1.25 metres above the danger level on Monday.

At Sylhet point, Surma was flowing 29 cm above the danger level.

The Kushiara River was flowing 45 cm above the danger level at Sheola Point.  The water of this river has also increased at Sherpur point.

In Barishal, five of the 23 rivers in the Barishal division breached the danger mark Monday night due to tidal bores.

Ahsan Alam, a surveyor of the Barishal Water Development Board, said that the Surma and Meghna rivers flowed 3cm and 41cm, respectively, above the danger mark in Daulatkhan and Tajumuddin upazilas.

Similarly, the Tentulia, Bishkhali, and Biskhali rivers flowed 5cm, 6cm, and 7cm, respectively, beyond the red level.

Meanwhile, the low-lying areas of the division were also inundated, causing immense suffering to the residents.