The recent floods in Sherpur, a northern district of Bangladesh, have caused extensive losses amounting to about Tk 600 crore in the agriculture and fisheries sectors, according to official sources.
They said roads and other infrastructures under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) have suffered a loss of nearly Tk 113 crore in damages.
The district office of Water Development Board has also incurred substantial losses, though an exact figure is yet to be reported, according to the officials.
While the floodwaters began receding from Wednesday, the struggles of the flood-hit communities continue, as the full extent of the devastation becomes apparent.
Waterborne diseases, such as diarrhoea, dysentery and skin infections, have been reported as the affected areas experience an acute shortage of clean drinking water.
Read more: 3 die as flood situation deteriorates in Sherpur; army joins rescue operation
However, district Civil Surgeon Dr Jasim Uddin refuted claims of a health crisis, saying that the diarrhoeal situation is under control.
He mentioned that four medical teams, consisting of Army personnel, physicians, and medical students, are currently providing healthcare support to the affected population.
On Saturday, a visit to Pichhlakuri village in Nakla upazila revealed the heartbreaking aftermath of the disaster.
The village, home to around 100 families, including 40 from the Hindu community, suffered widespread destruction of homesteads, possessions and croplands along the Bhogai River.
Members of the Hindu community expressed their grief over the fact that they were unable to celebrate Durga Puja, the largest festival in their religious calendar, as their temples were submerged when an embankment of the Bhogai River collapsed.
Read:Death toll from Sherpur floods rises to 9 as one more dies
Floodwaters still linger in several croplands, hampering recovery efforts.
A one-and-a-half-kilometre road, extending from Pichhlakuri Government Primary School to Tarakanda, was heavily damaged, with over 50 cracks making it nearly impassable.
The deteriorating road conditions have compounded the difficulties in delivering much-needed relief supplies to the flood-affected families.
Ahalla Rani Borman, a 50-year-old resident, described the desperate conditions her community is facing. "We have no food, drinking water, or other essential supplies," she lamented.
Borman claimed that they have only received a small amount of aid in the form of a single packet of hotchpotch and half a kilogram of puffed rice since the floods struck, and many families are enduring days of hunger.
Borman further alleged that no government representatives, including members of the local union parishad, have visited the area to assess their situation or provide support.
Read more: Flood Control and How to Minimise Losses
