Flood death toll reaches 44 as over 10 lakh people affected in 7 districts

Highlights

• Floods claim 44 lives across seven districts
• More than 10 lakh people affected nationwide
• Heavy rainfall may trigger fresh flooding, FFWC warns
• Chattogram remains worst-hit with highest casualties

At least 44 people have died and more than 2,67,000 families have been affected as flooding ravaged seven districts across Bangladesh, according to the disaster management and relief ministry's latest situation report.

Authorities have opened 1,131 shelters, accommodating 44,457 displaced people. Fifty-eight upazilas across seven districts – Khagrachhari, Rangamati, Bandarban, Cox's Bazar, Chattogram, Moulvibazar and Habiganj – have been affected so far, disrupting normal life.

Flash floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall have killed at least 43 people across five districts of Chattogram Division alone.

As of last night, water levels at seven monitoring stations on five rivers – Sangu and Matamuhuri rivers in Bandarban, Someswari in Netrokona, Kushiyara River in Sylhet, Manu River in Moulvibazar; and the Khowai River in Habiganj were above the danger level, according to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) data.

Sardar Uday Raihan, executive engineer at the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, told The Business Standard that heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast over the next 24 to 48 hours in parts of the Sylhet, Rangpur and Mymensingh divisions.

"However, over the next 24 hours, water levels in the Sangu, Matamuhuri and other rivers in Bandarban, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar are expected to gradually recede, leading to an improvement in flood conditions in adjacent low-lying areas," he said.

At the same time, water levels in the Muhuri, Feni, Solonia and Halda rivers in Feni, Khagrachhari and Chattogram districts may rise above the danger level at some locations, potentially triggering short-term flooding in nearby low-lying areas.

Similarly, heavy rainfall in northern districts – particularly Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Sherpur and Mymensingh – could cause river levels to rise above the danger level in some places.

Water levels in these regions are forecast to continue rising over the next 72 hours, raising the possibility of short-term flooding in affected areas, Raihan added.

Ctg worst hit

According to the latest government disaster situation report, Chattogram recorded 11 deaths yesterday, taking the total death toll across the division to 43.

Another 39 people have been injured, including 12 in Chattogram, 24 in Cox's Bazar, one in Khagrachhari and two in Bandarban. Five of the injured in Cox's Bazar are Rohingya refugees.

Chattogram accounted for the largest share of flood-affected people, with 6,62,000 affected people, followed by Cox's Bazar with 1,58,027. Khagrachhari reported 34,417 affected people, Rangamati 3,820 and Bandarban 8,350.

To accommodate displaced residents, authorities have opened 1,727 shelters across the division. Of these, 670 are in Chattogram, 640 in Cox's Bazar, 220 in Bandarban, 150 in Khagrachhari and 47 in Rangamati.

A total of 37,055 people are currently staying in the shelters, including 22,600 in Chattogram, 4,745 in Bandarban, 3,820 in Rangamati, 2,974 in Cox's Bazar and 2,916 in Khagrachhari.

13-year-old found dead 4 days after being swept away

The body of a 13-year-old boy was recovered yesterday from the Eidghar area of Ramu upazila of Cox's Bazar, four days after he was swept away by flash floodwaters.

Eidgaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) ATM Sifatul Majdar said, "The boy, Sajidul Islam Sajid, went missing on 8 July after being swept away by the strong current while collecting firewood from the river. Since then, family members had searched various possible locations but failed to trace him."

"Local residents spotted the body floating in the Gazalia River this morning and informed both the family and the police," he added.

Bandarban tourist spots closed until 15 July

The district administration has announced the closure of all tourist spots in Bandarban until 15 July amid heavy rainfall and concerns over public safety.

The decision was announced on Friday night in a public notice signed by Deputy Commissioner Md Saniul Ferdous, UNB reports.

According to the notice, the closure covers all tourist spots, waterfalls, hill trails, river routes, remote areas and other high-risk locations across the hill district.

Embankments in Khulna's Batiaghata face breach risk amid rising water levels

Several embankments in Batiaghata upazila of Khulna including the city protection embankment near Kachubunia in Jalma Union are under threat of collapse due to rising water levels of Shibsha River triggered by heavy rainfall and upstream water flow.

The vulnerable condition of the embankments has raised fears of flooding in vast low-lying areas of the upazila and parts of Khulna city if immediate protective measures are not taken, local people said.

Meanwhile, large parts of Khulna city remained submerged after 184 millimetres of rainfall over the past 51 hours, causing severe waterlogging and widespread disruption to daily life.

The worst-affected areas include Mujgunni, Royal Mor, Tutpara, Jinnah Nagar, Daulatpur, Atra, Giltala, Dilkhola, Banargati and Sheikhpara.

'Most landslide shelters in Ctg division unfit'

Bangladesh has significantly improved landslide early warning systems and anticipatory action, but the shortage of safe, accessible and trusted evacuation shelters continues to discourage people from evacuating before disasters, according to a new Save the Children assessment.

The assessment found that only 5.4% of 56 assessed evacuation shelters in landslide-prone areas of Chattogram and Bandarban were immediately suitable for emergency use. 

Nearly 90% required major structural or service upgrades, while another 5.4% were deemed unsuitable because of structural weaknesses, poor locations or inadequate facilities.