Flood water enters Sylhet city

Many areas of Sylhet city have gone under water again because of another round of flooding in a span of one month, with water continuing to rise, leading to fears of prolonged suffering for flood victims.

Houses and business organisations in different areas of Sylhet city including Shahjalal Uposhohor, Teroratan, Sobhani Ghat, and Kalighat are submerged, disrupting road communication in the areas. 

Water has also entered different areas of Sunamganj municipal town. Due to the flooding, many educational institutions have closed in the district. 
 
Earlier in mid-May, Sylhet saw its worst flood in 18 years. Most of the 12 upazilas and towns in the district were inundated and electricity, gas, and water supply were disrupted at that time. Now the floods have hit Sylhet again. 

Saraf Uddin, a resident of Uposhohor, said water entered homes on Wednesday night and continued to rise. Houses in the area were inundated in last month's flood as well.

Many businesses in the Kalighat area, the city's largest wholesale market, have also been flooded. 

Nilanjan Das Tuku, a trader in the area, said he had not been able to recover from last month's floods. How to do business with repeated floods?
 
Nur Azizur Rahman, chief engineer of Sylhet City Corporation, said, "We are ready. Shelter centres will be opened if needed."
 
The flood situation remains unchanged in five upazilas of Sylhet – Sadar, Gowainghat, Kanaighat, Companiganj and Jaintapur, where five lakh people are marooned.  Roads, houses, and educational institutions in most areas of these upazilas and many government offices have been flooded.
 
However, people in bordering upazilas are suffering more than in the city areas.
 
Iqbal Hossain, a day labourer in​​ Bholaganj, said, "Water receded slightly for a short time. Now, the localities are flooded again and we have been marooned for about a month."
 
"As the floods are prolonged, human suffering is increasing. We have already started providing food aid to people," Gowainghat UNO Tahmilur Rahman said.

Nayan Pasha, deputy assistant engineer, Sylhet Water Development Board, said the Surma, Kushiyara and Lova rivers were flowing above the danger level at various points. On Thursday, the water level of the Surma River receded a little at Kanaighat point but rose at Sylhet point.
 
It also rained intermittently in Sylhet on Thursday. The onrush of water from the hills continues, leading to an increase of water in rivers.
 
Sayedur Rahman Chowdhury, senior meteorologist at the Sylhet met office, said they recorded 687mm of rains this month so far. It will continue till 19 June.

District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Nurul Islam said 443 shelter centres have been set up for  people impacted by the floods.

Not only in Sylhet, but in different areas of Sunamganj including Nabinagar, West Teghoria, and North Arpin Nagar, water has entered many houses.

The water level of the Surma River increased 26 cm in 24 hours at Sunamganj point. The river there was flowing 50 cm above the danger mark on Thursday afternoon.
 
Sunamganj WDB Executive Engineer Md Jahurul Islam said water has continued to rise due to the onrush of hill water. Heavy rainfall is continuing in India's Meghalaya and Assam, leading to water-levels rising in Surma, Kushiyara, and other rivers.

342 educational institutions closed
 
Due to another spell of flooding in the span of one month, some 342 educational institutions were closed in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts.  
 
"A total of 290 primary schools, high schools, and colleges in Sylhet were closed due to the flooding," said Sylhet District Education Officer Abu Sayeed Md Wadud.
 
Besides that, another 52 educational institutions closed in Sunamganj.