Dam breach at 14 points, 30 villages flooded in Feni

Heavy rainfall and rising upstream water from India have triggered severe flooding in Feni, breaching flood control dams at 14 points and inundating 30 villages across two upazilas of the district.

The breaches took place along the Muhuri, Kahua, and Silonia rivers, flooding large parts of Fulgazi and Parashuram upazilas and leaving thousands of residents stranded amid rising waters.

According to local administration sources, multiple breaches have occurred in key sections of the flood protection embankments. In Parshuram upazila, the Muhuri River has broken through in two spots at Jangal Ghana, three at Alka, and one each in Shaldhar, Godanagar, and Satkuchia. In Fulgazi upazila, breaches have been reported at Uttar Sreepur, Derpara, Berabaria, and Daulatpur, with the Kahua River also overflowing in several of these areas.

Local residents blamed poor maintenance and official negligence for the collapse of the dams. Rafiqul Islam, a resident of Mirzanagar Union, said, "Every year we suffer because of the failure to close vulnerable points in time. The Water Development Board ignored warnings, and now we are paying the price."

Despite the worsening situation, Parshuram Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Arifur Rahman said that people have not yet taken refuge in shelters. "We are monitoring the situation round the clock. New areas are flooding as more breaches occur," he added.

In Fulgazi, UNO Fahria Islam confirmed dam erosion in four locations. "More than a hundred people have already moved to shelters. We’ve arranged for dry and cooked food," she said. In response to the crisis, all higher secondary school examinations scheduled for Wednesday (July 9) have been postponed in the affected upazila.

Sub-Divisional Engineer of the Feni Water Development Board, Abul Kashem, stated that water in the rivers remains above danger levels. Although the Muhuri River saw a slight drop in water level after midnight, the threat is far from over. "If the upstream rainfall continues, further dam collapses cannot be ruled out," he warned.