Flood threat looms over Feni as Muhuri river swells 137cm above danger level

Continuous rainfall and upstream water from India have triggered a sharp rise in river levels across Feni, prompting fears of renewed flooding in the district.

At 9:00pm today, Executive Engineer of the Feni Water Development Board Akter Hossain Majumder confirmed that the Muhuri river was flowing 137cm above the danger mark, with breaches reported at seven points along flood control embankments on the Muhuri, Kahua, and Silonia rivers.

Of these, four breaches occurred in Parshuram upazila and three in Fulgazi.

Photo: Collected

Local officials said the embankments are under increasing pressure as water levels continue to rise. Earlier in the day, a section of road along the Muhuri river in Fulgazi collapsed, submerging nearby shops and severing road connectivity between Fulgazi Bazar and Rajeshpur.

In response, the district administration has declared all primary and secondary schools as emergency shelters, said Deputy Commissioner Saiful Islam.

Most educational institutions have suspended classes and exams temporarily, although no directive has yet been issued regarding ongoing HSC board exams.

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Heavy rainfall began last afternoon and has since inundated Feni town. Streets in several neighbourhoods -- including Shaheed Shahidullah Kaiser Road, Rampur Shaheen Academy, Pathan Bari, Nazir Road, Shanti Company Road, and Petrobangla -- are submerged under 2-3 feet of water, causing severe waterlogging and disrupting daily life.

Residents, particularly day labourers and transport workers, are bearing the brunt of the crisis.

"We haven't recovered from last year's flood damage," said auto-rickshaw driver Belayet Hossain. "If this rain continues, we'll face another disaster."

Fulgazi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Faria Islam reported that two shops were swept away when the embankment near Rajeshpur collapsed around 7:00am today. Road access to the village remains cut off.

Meanwhile, Feni Sadar UNO Sultana Nasrin Kanta said that midterm exams have been suspended in several schools due to rising water levels.

"We've issued notices to affected institutions, but no update has come from the education board regarding board exams," she added.