Over 50,000 people marooned in Teesta and Dharla shoals in Lalmonirhat

Around 50,000 people in five upazilas in Lalmonirhat have been marooned as the Teesta and Dharla rivers swelled above danger levels yesterday evening.

The affected are in 90 villages under 15 unions.

The water levels of Dharla and Teesta rivers have been flowing above the danger level since this evening due to the onrush of water coming from upstream in India.

Mizanur Rahman, executive engineer of Lalmonirhat Water Development Board (WDB), said that the Dharla River has been flowing 48cm above the danger level at Shimulbari point of Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila and Teesta has been flowing 22cm above at Teesta Barrage point of Hatibandha upazila in Lalmonirhat.

Flood-affected Jamina Begum of Char Falimari area said one of her three houses was washed away by the flow of water and she also lost her livestock.

Rasheda Begum, another flood-hit, said her family left home and went to a local market as there are no flood shelters in the Char Falimari area. She too had to leave behind her cows and goats, which washed away.

Nazrul Islam Bhutto, a member of the local Union Parishad, said the flood waters have inundated all houses in the area and there was risk of a more catastrophic flood.