Sangraish area of Comilla Adarsh Sadar Upazila. While passing through the embankment road of the Gomti River in the afternoon, the local people were seen busy in different ways. Some were planting bamboo on the embankment next to the road. Some were building shacks with polythene or tarpaulin on that bamboo. The rising water of the river has caused anxiety and concern among both men and women.
Standing next to her was Anwara Begum, in her seventies. She lives in a dilapidated tin house on the banks of the Gomti River inside the embankment. She is passing the time anxiously as the water of the Gomti River approaches her house. Anwara said, “The water of the river has been rising for three days. Last year, everything I had was swept away in a single flood. Then a few villagers rescued me and took me to a school. After the flood, I was repairing the house with the help of my family. Now, the flood has come again. I have not slept even a minute since yesterday.”
Babul Mia was building a shack next to it with bamboo and polythene. He told Prothom Alo, “The water is rising like last year. The water is in the current condition, if it rises a little more, it will enter the houses of the char residents. That is why I have built it with bamboo and polythene so that I can bring and store my belongings.”
On Thursday, such shacks were seen being built in at least 20 places along the Gumti River in the upazila, including Tikkachar, Jagannathpur, Sangraish, Banasua, and Aranyapur. Some people are leaving their homes and bringing their belongings to the embankment as advance preparations as the water level in the river rises. However, the Water Development Board (PAUBO) and the local administration say that the water level in the Gumti River has already started to recede, albeit slowly. Therefore, people should not panic and be aware.
Speaking to the locals, it was learned that the people of Comilla witnessed the terrible form of the Gomti in August last year. On the night of August 22, the Gomti River’s protective dam broke in the Burburia area of Burichang upazila of the district, flooding several upazilas including Burichang-Brahmanpara. The residents are still carrying the scars of that flood in the past. The water of the Gomti River is rising due to continuous rain and the inflow from upstream. Although the water level of the river was below the danger level till this evening. Even then, there is concern and anxiety all around as the water level continues to rise.
Temporary structures have been built with bamboo, polythene and tarpaulin in fear of rising water levels in the Gumti River. On Thursday afternoon, a flood hit the Sangraish area of Comilla’s Adarsh Sadar Upazila.Photo: Prothom Alo
According to Comilla Paubo sources, the danger level of the Gomti River in Comilla is 11.30 meters. Yesterday, Wednesday, at around 3 pm, the river water was flowing at a level of 8.83. The latest water level reached 9.68 meters by 9 am today. Since then, the river water has started to recede. But slowly. At 6 pm today, the water was flowing at a level of 9.48 meters, which is about 6 feet below the danger level. In the meantime, agricultural land and structures in several low-lying areas of the char have been submerged in water.
Several food businesses have been set up on the banks of the river in some places including Aranyapur, Chanpur, and Banasua in the upazila. Mizanur Rahman, director of a restaurant named Gomti Vilas in the Aranyapur area, told Prothom Alo that the situation so far has not caused much damage. However, they are in panic. If the water level rises, there will be damage like last year.
Burichang Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Tanvir Hossain said, the water has started receding gradually. However, everyone is being urged to remain alert and aware. Apart from this, they have adequate preparations to deal with the disaster.
Comilla Meteorological Department Officer-in-Charge Syed Arifur Rahman said, “The amount of rain has decreased in Comilla. 76.2 millimeters of rainfall has been recorded in Comilla in the last 24 hours till 3 pm today. Due to the influence of active monsoon winds, the rain may continue tomorrow as well.”
District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Abed Ali told Prothom Alo that so far, there has been no flooding anywhere in the district. There have been waterlogging in a few places, and they have almost resolved those. The good news is that the water in the Gumti River is receding, albeit slowly. He hopes that the situation will normalize in a day or two. Therefore, he is urging people to be aware and not panic. 586 shelters have already been prepared to deal with the disaster.
Last year, due to heavy rains and upstream inflows from India, the water of the Gomti River suddenly started flowing above the danger level on August 18. In the meantime, due to the opening of the Gomti’s Dumbur dam in India, the dam broke in the Buriburia area of Burichang upazila on the night of August 22, flooding hundreds of villages. All the houses and agricultural land on the embankment were submerged.
Source: Prothom Alo
