Diarrhoea, water-borne diseases now ravaging flood affected areas

SYLHET, Aug 1:—Diarrhoea has broken out in an epidemic form in Zakiganj upazila, the worst flood-hit area of Sylhet district.

Flood that so far claimed 35 lives officially in the district, is now ravaged by diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases leaving at least 25 persons dead, of whom nine died of diarrhoea in Zakiganj upazila.

More over at least 300 persons have been attacked with diarrhoea in 30 shelter-camps in Zakiganj and Kanaighat upazila.



Madaripur

Our Madaripur Correspondent writes: The overall flood situation has further improved in the dis­trict on Saturday. The Arial Khan was flowing 49 cm above danger level at Madaripur launchghat point.

Diarrhoea has broken out in an epidemic form in flood hit areas of Madaripur district. About 1000 people have been attacked with diarrhoea and water-borne dis­eases. Official sources said, so far 606 people have been affected.

About 80,000 people in 20 vil­lages under Madaripur poura-shava have been marooned. The affected people should be supplied with either cooked or dry foods. The flood victims were given some rice, but most of them did not get any reliefs and cash money, it is alleged.

Meanwhile 60 families in Kabirajpur union under Rajoir up­azila have been rendered homeless by the erosion of river Kumar during the last few days.

The erosion hit people have taken shelter on the high lands. A total of 145 cattlehead died in the flood.



Chandpur

Our Chandpur Correspondent adds: The flood situation is grad­ually improving following reces­sion of water. But the town area again goes under water during high tide. The Meghna is still flowing above danger level.

The erosion of the river Meghna has been interrified. A breach occurred in the ring em­bankment of Chandpur Irrigation Project (CIP) at Haimchar on (Friday) and inundated eight nearby village.

According to official source the flood affected 13 lakh people of the eight upazilas of the district. The worst affected upazilas are Chandpur Sadar, Matlab South, Haimchar and Hajiganj upazila.

Crops over 30,000 acres of land have been totally damaged and 60,000 acres partially.

The flood also caused heavy loss to private fish farms. Fish worth about Tk one crore have been washed away.

Meanwhile many organisations are rendering relief among the flood victims. About 10,000 marroned people in the charlands are passing this days in great miseries. The Red Crescent has distributed biscuits among the victims. Students or­ganisations are distributing oral saline among the people in the shelter campswhere. Skin diseases have broken out alarmingly.



Narsingdi

Our Narsingdi Correspondent says: The flood situation has slightly improved in some parts of Narsingdi district on Wednesday.

The prolonged devastating flood has caused colossal damage of standing crops, seed-beds, houses, roads, culverts, bridges, embankments, industrial belts and educational institutions.

A total of 60 per cent of 12 lakh out of 20 lakh have been affected by the flood. Vegetables worth about Taka 10 crore have been damaged. The only one cold storage at Gabtoli under Sadar upazila has been inundated can-sing damage to potato worth about Taka one crore.

At least 50 per cent roads, bridges, culverts and kutcha road have been totally damaged and 20 per cent partially.



27 drowned

A total of 27 people including 22 children were drowned in the flood water in the district. Thousands of people in char areas under Sadar and Raipura upazila are the worst sufferer.

The worst affected areas are as Mirjachar, Musapur, Maheshpur, Radhanagar, Chander Kandi, Raipura, Marjal, Palashtoli, Nilakhaya, Bashgari, Charmadua, Poratoli, Hajipur, Karimpur, Nazarpur, Alokbali, Char Aralia, Chardigaldi and Paikarchar union.

The domestic animals including poultry have been marooned causing death due to scarcity of folder.

The Agriculture Extension Department source said, crops worth about Taka 20 crore have been damaged so far. Crops on 40,000 acres of land have been damaged completely while 10,000 acres partially.

Aman, jute, seedbeds, aus, ropa aman, vegetables, banana, battle­leaf etc have been damage. Red Crescent volunteers, politi­cal parties, social affluence and Non-Government Organizations (NGO) are coming to help the flood affected people. The government sanctioned Taka 4.50 lakh and about 900 ma­tric tons of rice for the flood vic­tims.



Diarrhoea breaks out

The scarcity of pure drinking water in the major problem in the flood hit areas as 70 per cent of tube-wells went under water. As a result the water-borne diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, fever are spreading in the area. Hundreds of diarrhoea patients are undergoing treatment at indifferent hospitals.

The Balusair embankment un­der Sadar upazila and Nilakha wa­ter cartrol closure under Raipura upazila are partially damaged.



Prices go up

The prices of all essential com­modities including food grains have recorded upward trend in different markets. As a result the low incoming peoples are leading a miserable life. People are facing acute prob­lem in getting urgent treatment as the hospital has been submerged.



Moulvibazar

Our Moulvibazar Correspon-dent adds: Approximately 15 lakh people who remained marooned during the two weeks in the flood affected areas under Sylhet division, are now passing their days in miseries due to lack of reliefs, drinking wa­ter, food and shelter.

Out break of water-born dis­ease, lack of saline and treatment facilities hampered treatment. Meanwhile, other than ma­rooned people in each district are staying indifferent shelter centres, embankment and roads, relative-houses, hotels and badly damaged houses from where flood water has been receded. These people are now facing untold sufferings.



Brahmanbaria

Our Brahmanbaria Correspon-dent adds: The flood situation in Brahmanbaria district has slightly improved today fol­lowing the recession of flood wa­ter in the river Titas. But the river Titas is still now flowing 15 cm above danger mark.

A total of 36 people died so far in the flood that gripped eight upazilas the district.

Three lakh people who took shelters in 582 shelter camps have been passing their days without reliefs and lack of proper sanita­tion.



Bhairab

Our Bhairab Correspondent adds: The devastating deluge swamped all the villages in the haor areas of Itna, Mitamoin, Nikli and Austagram upazilas and the affected people are now passing their painful days on scaffolds both in houses and other shelters amid untold misery.

The hat and bazars in the rural villages of the haor areas remained under water and the prices of daily necessities have gone ab­normally high multiplying the suf­ferings of the people.

The people can hardly manage pure drinking water as the tube­wells have gone under water.

The people in the haor areas are in greap troubles with their cattle­heads. Raised lands are not avail­able for shifting the cattleheads to safety. Acute scarcity of folder has left the cattleheads to a sorrowful state.

The flood situation at Katiadi on Bhairab-Kishoreganj Highway remained worst. At least 3000 families of 112 villages of the up­azila are passing their days in ex­treme sufferings. The kutcha and pucca roads in the upazila have gone under waist deep water. The train communication in between Bhirab and Kishoreganj remained snapped.



Rajbari

Our Rajbari Correspondent adds; The flood situation in the district has started improving gradually with the recession of wa­ters.

The Padma is flowing 37 cm above the danger level on Saturday. According to official sources 20 out of 42 union of the district were affected by the cur­rent flood.

The affected people have been suffering from various intestinal disease including dysentery, diar­rhoea and pneumonia. At least 899 people most of them are children have been attacked during last 30 days with the water-born disease in different flood affected areas of the district.

Most of the toilets in the flood hit area have gone inoperative following flood. The flood waters have been contaminated with filths, grabages, sewages and hu­man excreta poisoning a serious threat to health of people of this area.

According to Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) officials said, a total of 2,539 had driven tubewells have gone out of order during the current floods in the district. About 3150 tubewells have been submerged.

Besides 899 people have been affected with the water borne dis­ease due to scarcity of pure drinking water and lack of proper sanitation facilities.



Rajbari

Meanwhile the prices of essen­tial commodities have gone up in different markets with the onset of floods which have affected 18 unions of three upazilas in the dis­trict.

When contacted traders of Rajbari town said, prices of essen­tial goods including rice, onion, potato, eggs, meat and vegetables have gone up by 10 to 20 per cent in the wholesale markets.

Coarse rice is being sold at Tk 14 per kg and fine quality at Tk 19 per kg as against Tk 12 and Tk 17 re­spectively two weeks back.

Onion is now sold at Tk 20 per kg as against Tk 16 two weeks ago and potatol at Tk 10 to Tk 11 per kg.

Besides hilsha are being sold be­tween Tk 250 and Tk 300 per kg, ruhi and katla at Tk 180 to Tk 200 per kg. In addition, prices of beef have increased in the local markets and being sold at Tk 100 per kg. But mutton is not always available, eggs per four are selling at Tk 16 in place of Tk 14.