Nightlong downpour worsens Sylhet flood situation

Continuous rain for 6-7 hours since Sunday midnight till Monday morning (May 3) and flash floods through the hill slopes have drastically deteriorated the ongoing flood situation in Sylhet where several lakh people are now already marooned in water.

Overflowing the banks, the water of Surma River has entered in to the Sylhet city, submerging many areas in the city and its suburbs including Jatarpur, Mendibagh, Jamtala, Taltala, Sheikhghat, Kalapara, Majumdar Para, Laldighirpar, Topkhana, Kazir Bazar, Terratan, and Sobhanighat. Water also entered Osmani Hospital on Sunday night.

Assistant Meteorologist of Sylhet Meteorological Office Shah Mohammad Sajib Hossain said that 226.6 millimetres of rainfall has been recorded in Sylhet in the last 24 hours till 6am Monday. On Monday, 28 millimetres of rainfall has been recorded from 6am to 9am.

Water of Surma and Kushiara rivers in Sylhet have overflowed the banks since Monday morning. In some parts of the suburbs, the water rose from knee to waist.

Since there was no heavy rain in Sylhet for the last two days and the amount of water coming down from the upstream was less, there were reports of improvement in the flood situation. However, in the meantime, the Water Development Board fears that the flood situation may worsen due to heavy rainfall.

Executive Engineer of Sylhet Water Development Board Deepak Ranjan Das said that the water of Surma River is flowing 13cm above the normal water level at Sylhet city point and 60cm above the water level at Kanaighat point. On the other hand, water of Kushiara River is flowing at Jokiganj point 60cm above the normal level. However, the water of other rivers in the district is below the flood limit.

Sylhet City Corporation Public Relations Officer Sajlu Lashkar told reporters, "Water has accumulated in various areas. After monitoring the situation, effective steps will be taken as required including opening of shelters, distribution of dry food."