Flood in Sylhet, Sunamganj: 50,000 families left in dark

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Over 50,000 families in the country’s north-eastern region are without electricity since Tuesday evening after a power station in Sylhet city was submerged by floodwater.

Dwellers of some portions of Sylhet city, Dakshin Surma upazila of Sylhet and Jagannathpur upazila in Sunamganj are the sufferers.

Many roads, houses and croplands have gone under water as major rivers in this region keeps swelling.

Around 20 lakh flood-hit people of Sylhet and Sunamganj are going through shortages of drinking water and food.

The sub-station in Baraikandi area of Sylhet city was inundated on Tuesday, causing power cut in some portions of Sylhet and Dakshin Surma upazila as well as the entire Jagannathpur upazila, said Abdul Kadir, Chief Engineer at the Divisional Office of Bangladesh Power Development Board.

Samrat Ahmed, of Baraikandi area in Dakshin Surma upazila, said, due to flood, they are stuck at home. For power outage, they cannot even charge our phones.

Aminul Islam Palash, of Shahjalal Upasahar in the city, said, their water stock has almost run out.


They do not know when the situation will become normal. They are yet to decide on whether to move or stay.

Sylhet City Corporation and the district administration has opened 215 flood centres in the affected areas.

They have distributed 129 tonnes of rice and 1,000 sacks of dry food among the victims, while 100 more tonnes of rice and 3,000 sacks of dry food have been allocated for distribution.

In Sunamganj, 15 tonnes of rice and Tk 2.50 lakh have been allocated for the victims.

According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the Surma was flowing 12cm above the danger level at Kanaighat upazila town point in Sylhet at 9:00am yesterday, while the river was flowing 42cm above in Sylhet city point and 18cm above in Sunamganj town point.

At the same time, the Kushiyara was over 158cm above the danger mark at Amolshid point of Sylhet’s Zakiganj upazila and 53cm above at Shewla point in Beanibazar upazila.

According to the FFWC forecast report, heavy rainfall is predicted in the north-eastern region and Indian states of Assam and Meghalaya in next 48 hours.

It may worsen the flood situation of Sylhet and Sunamganj in the coming 24 hours from this morning.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman yesterday visited the flood-hit areas in Sylhet city and distributed relief among the victims.

Momen, also a lawmaker from Sylhet-1, said the government has undertaken a project to dredge the Surma and the Kushiyara, and the work would start in the next dry season.

State Minister Enamur said, after getting the final report on the losses caused by the flood, they will extend support to the people.

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