Flood situation remains changeable

Major rivers in the country are still rising or flowing above the danger level. The worst affected districts are Gaibandha, Bogra, Jamalpur, Sirajganj, Pabna, Tangail, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Rajbari and Madaripur. Although rivers in the north west are still flowing above the danger mark, the situation in Kurigram, Panchagarh, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts is likely to improve over the next days. Nevertheless, road and rail communications in Lalmonirhat district have been disrupted with stretches of the road submerged and a railway bridge damaged. Many summer rice seedbeds have been destroyed, fishponds and livestock fodder inundated. River erosion has devoured many homesteads and there is a scarcity of potable water. Sporadic incidences of diarrhoea have also been reported.

The situation has worsened in the capital city of Dhaka and adjoining districts of Narshingdi, Narayanganj and Kishoreganj. In the capital, more low-lying areas went under water as the Buriganga, Shitalakhya, Balu and Turag rivers continued to rise.

The situation is depressing but not as acute as reported in some sections of the media. Such flooding is not unusual during the high monsoon season and coping ability and level of preparedness among the people is much higher than in the past. Therefore, a massive relief operation may not be necessary, depending on how the situation develops over the next few weeks.

According to a rapid assessment, the flood situation in the working areas of Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS) Disaster Management Committee in the north of the country is showing signs of improving. However, RDRS is in contact with local authorities and has relief materials at hand in the project areas should the situation drastically deteriorate.

Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB) project areas in Pabna and Manikgonj have been affected, but the situation is not serious. CCDB sent its Rapid Action Team to the more seriously affected in Sirajgonj where hundreds of people had moved to safer places and were in need of food and shelter.

Also the other ACT members, Church of Bangladesh, KOINONIA and Social Health & Education Development (SHED) Board, have not yet started relief operations.

All the ACT members in the region agree that the flood situation is still not critical and does not yet warrant emergency operations. However, the Space Research and Remote Sensing Organisation has warned of heavy rains for August and consequently ACT members are monitoring the situation closely and keeping each other, as well as the ACT Coordinating Office, informed of any changes in their respective areas.