Rain triggers flash flood in Netrakona, Kurigram
Star National Desk
Flash flood triggered by heavy rains in hills across the border in the last three days inundated seven unions in bordering Kalmakanda and Durgapur upazilas in Netrakona district. In Kurigram, low lying areas in at least 10 villages in Rourmari and Chilmari upazilas reeled under water as 16 rivers in the district swelled due to rain and onrush of water from the upstream. In Netrakona, about 300 thatched houses were washed away and 80 per cent of newly transplanted Aman seedlings went under water that also swamped several thousand acres of vegetables fields, our correspondent reported quoting officials. Netrakona district fishery officials said fishes worth around Tk 5 crore were washed away as floodwaters overflowed about 500 ponds. The seven affected unions out of 15 in the two upazilas are Birishiri, Gaokandia, Kakoirgora, Bakoljura in Durgapur upazila; and Karnai, Rangchati and Langura unions in Kalmakanda upazila. Road communication between Netrakona to Durgapur upazila headquarters remained snapped yesterday as about one kilometre of the road has been damaged by floodwaters in Suknakuri area under Durgapur upazila. The Netrakona-Kalmakanda road link has also been snapped by floodwaters. Officials said the Shomeshwari, Mogra, Kongsha and Dhanu rivers in the district marked sharp rise in last two days, inundating areas in adjoining Khaliajuri and Madan upazilas also. Nobody from the district administration visited the flood affected areas, local people told this correspondent during a visit. When contacted, Netrakona Water Development Board (WDB) Executive Engineer Mohammad Alauddin said the flood situation may deteriorate as waters are rolling down the rivers from hills across the border. A correspondent reported from Kurigram that all the rivers in the district swelled due to rain in last two days. Local Water Development Board sources said the Dharla swelled by 50 cms at ferry ghat point, Brahmaputra by 27 cms at Chilmari, Teesta by 37cms in Kaunia point and Dud Kumar by 43 cms at Nunkhawa point in last 24 hours ending Saturday morning. The rainfall recorded was 164 mm in Dharla river basin and 117 mm in Brahmaputra basin areas, WDB officials said. The affected villages are Jhaubani, Dublabari, Bakbandha, Khear Char, Algan Char, Bayra, Batashu Kajldanga, Kheruar Char, Ghauriar Char and Gayner Potol Char.
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