Fear of embankment erosion haunts Cumilla people

The water of Gomti River in Cumilla flowed 45cm above the danger level on Monday (August 26) which was 80cm above the danger level on Sunday.

As a result, river water is entering the locality. Meanwhile, the people of four other areas are spending their days in fear when the embankment breaks due to the strong current of the river.

Durgapur North Union Parishad member Khairul Islam Khair said, “These areas are at grave risk. To protect the embankment, local residents have put soil and sandbags on their own initiative. The rest is in God's hands.”

Habiullah, a UP member of Mainamati union, said, “Since Sunday morning, the soil of the dam started moving in Kanthalia and Mirpur areas of Mainamati union on the western bank of Gomti. Due to the efforts of around 3000 local residents, the embankment was saved from being collapsed in those two places.”

Local people said due to the breach of the embankment, Sholanal, Pirjatrapur, Bakshimul and Rajapur unions and Burichong Sadar have been inundated with flood water. There is acute shortage of food and clean water in these areas.

Khan Md Waliuzzaman, executive engineer of Water Development Board in Cumilla, said, “The water of Gomti is still flowing 45cm above the flood limit. Gomti river water is entering the vast area of Burichong and Brahmanpara upazilas. Due to this, the number of people trapped in water is increasing.”

“Relief materials for the victims are coming from different parts of the country. But due to insufficient number of boats and trawlers to transport these goods, the volunteers cannot reach the flood-affected areas,” he added.

According to the district administration, 7.5 lakh people of the district are trapped in water due to flood. More than 50,000 people have taken shelter in 724 shelters where 224 medical teams are providing medical services to them.

Meanwhile, relief and rescue operations are going on in other upazilas of Cumilla, but the water-logged people of Manoharganj and Nangalkot upazilas are living inhumane lives.

Local residents complained that as the two upazilas are located a little further from the district headquarters and as there is no publicity about the severity of the flood, no one is coming to rescue them. They are not getting relief either.

Relief assistance has been provided by the local administration to some places, but it is totally insufficient compared to the demand. About five lakh displaced people are living a subhuman life in these two upazilas.