People of at least 22 villages of Doarabazar upazila under Sunamganj district are passing days amid panic as the swelling Surma river threatens different places of its embankment.

The authorities should take immediate steps to repair the damaged parts of the embankment to save the entire area, said Md Abdul Bari, chairman of Doarabazar Sadar union parishad.

The villages threatened by river erosion are Majergaon, Muradpur, Purbo Masimpur, Paschim Masimpur, Idonpur, Azampur, Haripur, Nanipur, Monglargaon, Sharifpur, Doarabazar Sadar, Tegonga, Teblai, Borbon, Bajitpur, Bhandargaon, Batlartek, Doalia, Protappur, Katakhali, Potiposi and Nurpur.

“We keep watch on the embankment by turns at night in fear of collapse," said Jalal Ahmed, 45, of Sharifpur village.

“Farmers had to count losses as their boro paddy and vegetables in vast areas have been flooded. We earlier demanded repair of the risky flood control embankments but to no effect,” said Principal Md Idrish Ali, chairman of Doarabazar upazila chairman.

Md Afsar Uddin, executive engineer of Water Development Board in Sunamganj, said the river is flowing just below the danger level but they have no funds to repair the embankments immediately.