7 of 10 TILTING & SINKING; India: Assam floods 35 dead, 11 lakh stranded! Bangladesh: Floods, landslide kill 110! Flood worsen in north! Guatemala: Floods not caused by rains!

[Stanislav]

India TILTING & BACKWASHING:

/ Assam floods: 35 dead, 11 lakh stranded. The flood situation in Assam continued to be grim with four more deaths in different areas of the state taking the toll to 35 even as the water level in some of the rivers have started receding, official sources said. A mahout died after he was attacked by a wild elephant in the flood waters on Saturday morning in the Kaziranga National Park, which has been completely inundated by the water of river Brahmaputra. Two persons, including a one-year-old baby, were drowned in Goalpara district late Friday evening. In Cachar district, a teenager drowned on Saturday morning, the sources said. Around 11 lakh people in 2,084 villages in 22 districts are in the grip of the worst floods since 2004, the sources said. /

Bangladesh SINKING:

/ The overall flash flood situation has improved as the rainfall receded after triggering disasters that killed more than 110 people and left a trail of destruction in the country's southeast, officials said on Thursday. However, more areas have been flooded in northeastern Sylhet region as rivers continued to flow over their respective danger levels, according to data of the Dhaka-based flood forecasting and warning centre. /

/ Fresh areas inundated, thousands trapped. Fresh areas in the northern region and Sylhet have gone under water as rivers continue to swell following torrential rains and flash flood, trapping tens of thousands of people. In Cox's Bazar, about 10,00,000 people were marooned in different areas and 21 union were identified as the worst hit. At least 37 people died in hillslide, wall collapse, drowning and lighting. /

/ Floods worsen in the north. Monsoon rains and onrush of hill waters from the upstream have worsened flooding in the northern districts, as huge swathes of land freshly inundated land left tens of thousands of people stranded. /

/ Thousands marooned as flood hits 4 dists. Raging floodwater fed by monsoon rains and on-rush of water coming from hills across the border inundated vast areas in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Sylhet and Bogra districts, leaving large number of people marooned on Friday. UNB Kurigram correspondent reports: The flood situation worsened further in Kurigram district as water level of all local rivers continued to rise inundating low-lying areas of 53 unions of eight upazilas. About 2.50 lakh people remained marooned by flood water in the eight upazilas – Sadar, Chilmari, Phulbari, Nageshwari, Roumari, Rajibpur, Rajarhat and Ulipur. /

Guatemala:

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Bangladesh:

 

Floods worsen in the north

Dhaka, June 29 (bdnews24.com)—Monsoon rains and onrush of hill waters from the upstream have worsened flooding in the northern districts, as huge swathes of land freshly inundated land left tens of thousands of people stranded.

Until Friday evening, water level at Jamuna River continued to rise and was flowing 65 and 50 cm above danger level at Sariyakandi and Dhunat. Water level at Buriganga River rose by 10 cm more was flowing 38 cm above the danger mark. Jamuna River swelled 40 cm more at Bahadurabad and flowing 83 cm above the danger level.

According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre's (FFWC) report released in the morning, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the Ganges-Padma and the Meghna river basins were swelling which may continue during the next 24-48 hours.

The rivers are flowing over danger level at 10 points while water level has risen at 73 points and decreased at 37 points, said the morning forecast.

Flood situation in Sylhet remained unchanged.

In Kurigram, the situation deteriorated on Friday due to the increased water flow from the upstream. The water level in the Dharala, Dudhkumar, Brahmaputra and others were on the rise.

By Friday, water level at Brahmaputra river increased by 10 cm flowing 38 cm above the danger level in the area, marooning 50,000 more people in 30 villages. Two hundred schools were closed down.

Communications between Roumary and Dhaka were snapped after water washed away a part of about 60-feet stretch of the DC Road at Golabari.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Habibur Rahman said some 250,000 people were marooned as the flood water roiled into 53 unions of the districts Sadar, Chilmari, Phulbari, Roumari, Rajibpur, Ulipur and Nageswari upazilas.

The official said the district administration sought an allotment of 500 tonnes of rice and Tk 1 million in cash for the distressed people on an emergency basis.

"The NGOs have also been urged to stand by the distressed people, apart from the government."

Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Jashim Uddin Ahmed visited the flood-affected areas.

In Sylhet, flood situation remained unchanged in its three Upazilas while it improved in three others. Flood-affected areas in the Sylhet City have gone under knee-deep water. Over 3,00,000 people got stranded in their submerged houses in the district while communications on Sylhet-Goainghat and Sylhet-Kanaighat roads remained snapped for the last few days.

Sylhet City Corporation has opened up seven shelter centres where over 3,000 flood victims have taken shelter, said Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmad Kamran.

Water-purifying tablets are also being distributed in the flood-affected areas.

In Bogra, flood situation worsened as the Jamuna River continued to swell flowing 50 cm above the danger level at different points. Fresh 35 villages were flooded.

On Thursday, about 200 houses in 12 villages on the eastern side of the Bogra flood protection embankment have been submerged as water level at the Jamual River rose abnormally.

The district's Deputy Assistant Engineer of Water Development Board Shakhawat Hossain said river erosion took a dangerous turn at Shahrabari Ghat and in its adjacent areas.

In Gaibandha, water level at all the rivers continued to swell with Barhmaputra and Jamuna Rivers water flowing 72 cm above danger level while Ghaghat River was flowing 48 cm above danger level, flooding 115 fresh villages.

On Thursday, the swelling rivers had flooded 80 villages and rendered about 1,500 families homeless, according to relief officials. About 30,000 families are left stranded.

The district's Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Shah Alam said several areas dissolved into rivers.

In Jamalpur, water level at Jamuna River rose 40 CM above the danger level at Bahadurabad only on Friday, making a further 30,000 people stranded in their submerged houses.

In Cox's Bazar, over 10,00,000 people were marooned in seven Upazilas and 21 unions were identified as the worst hit. At least 37 people died in hillslide, wall collapse, drowning and lightning strikes.

As many as 20,000 people have taken shelter at different centres.

Deputy Commissioner of the district Joynul Bari said people of 52 unions are floating on water.

Water Development Board fears hard-point at the Sirajganj town protection embankment is at the risk of getting washed away any moment.

Earth-filled sacks and cement-concentrated blocks were used to reinforce the embankment.

However, flood situation has improved in Bandarban and motor vehicle operation resumed from Bandarban to Keranihat, Lama and Nakkhayangchharhi. Low-lying areas in the city are still water-logged.

Lama Municipality Inspector Tanfizur Rahman said even though water receded from Lama Bazar and its adjacent areas, low-lying areas are still under water.

http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=227316&cid=2

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Fresh areas inundated, thousands trapped

Dhaka, Jun 28 (bdnews24.com)—Fresh areas in the northern region and Sylhet have gone under water as rivers continue to swell following torrential rains and flash flood, trapping tens of thousands of people.

Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre said Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganga-Padma and Meghna will continue to rise in the next one to two days. The rivers are flowing over danger level at 10 points while water level has risen at 73 points and decreased at 37 points.

Flood situation are feared to deteriorate in Sylhet and Sunamganj in the next 24 hours.

Officers at the district administrations said rice and money are being disbursed as they began with relief and rehabilitation activities.

In Bogra, about 200 houses in 12 villages on the eastern side of the Bogra flood protection barrage have been submerged as water level at the Jamual River rose abnormally.

The district's Deputy Assistant Engineer of Water Development Board Shakhawat Hossain said river erosion took a dangerous turn at Shahrabari Ghat and in its adjacent areas.

In Gaibandha, swelling rivers flooded 80 villages and rendered about 1,500 families homeless, according to relief officials.

The district's Relief and Rehabilitation officer Shah Alam said several areas have dissolved into rivers.

Rivers are swelling inundating fresh areas every day which have already stranded 70,000 people in Kurigram.

About 100 metres of Chilmari-Ramna road went into the river as Brahmaputra continued to swell. About 150 educational institutions were also shut down.

In Sylhet, even though water receded at some points in Sylhet, flood situation worsened in several other areas. Water is still roiling through 15 areas in the city. Communications on Sylhet-Goainghat and Sylhet-Kanaighat roads were snapped.

Sylhet district's Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Rafiqul Islam said fresh areas were flooded at Bianibazar and Zakiganj. As many as 36,910 families were affected while over 3,00,000 people got stranded in their submerged houses.

In Cox's Bazar, about 10,00,000 people were marooned in different areas and 21 union were identified as the worst hit. At least 37 people died in hillslide, wall collapse, drowning and lighting.

Water Development Board fears hard-point at the Sirajganj town protection embankment is at the risk of getting washed away any moment.

Earth-filled sacks and cement-concentrated blocks were used to reinforce the embankment.

However, flood situation has improved in Bandarban and motor vehicle operation resumed from Bandarban to Keranihat, Lama and Nakkhayangchhari. Low-lying areas in the city are still water-logged.

http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=227298&cid=2

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Thousands marooned as flood hits 4 dists

Raging floodwater fed by monsoon rains and on-rush of water coming from hills across the border inundated vast areas in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Sylhet and Bogra districts, leaving large number of people marooned on Friday.

UNB Kurigram correspondent reports: The flood situation worsened further in Kurigram district as water level of all local rivers continued to rise inundating low-lying areas of 53 unions of eight upazilas.

About 2.50 lakh people remained marooned by flood water in the eight upazilas – Sadar, Chilmari, Phulbari, Nageshwari, Roumari, Rajibpur, Rajarhat and Ulipur.

Abu Taher, executive engineer of Water Development Board of Kurigram, said water level of all local rivers, including Dharla, Brahmaputra and Dudkumar, continued to rise due to onrush of waters from the hills across the border.

Over 200 educational institutions remained closed due to the flood, which also caused extensive damage to different crops.

Rangpur divisional commissioner Jashim Uddin Ahmed and deputy commissioner of Kurigram Habibur Rahman visited the flood-hit areas at noon.

Another report says, about 80,000 people in Phulchhari, Saghata, Sundarganj and Sadar upazilas of Gaibandha district have been marooned by flood water as water of local rivers continued to rise.

In Sylhet, about five lakh people in 12 upazilas of the district remained marooned by flood water.

The road communication of Sylhet with Jakiganj and Bianibazar has snapped. Road communication in the rural areas of the district also remained suspended.

In Bogra, gushing water inundated vast areas in Dhunot and Sariakandi upazilas, leaving some 10,000 people marooned.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=38727

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Flood situation worsens in Sylhet, improves in Ctg

The overall flash flood situation has improved as the rainfall receded after triggering disasters that killed more than 110 people and left a trail of destruction in the country's southeast, officials said on Thursday.

However, more areas have been flooded in northeastern Sylhet region as rivers continued to flow over their respective danger levels, according to data of the Dhaka-based flood forecasting and warning centre.

The Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport in the country's main port city of Chittagong resumed operations on Thursday after remaining idle due to inundation of the runway over the past two consecutive days, officials at the civil aviation authority said.

Lightering of mother vessels at the outer anchorage and handling of containers and bulk cargo at the jetties of Chittagong port were normal since Wednesday as the intensity of rain decreased.

The operations of Chittagong railway station have been shifted to the Sitakunda railway station, some 35 kilometer away in the north, from where all Dhaka and Sylhet bound trains started to operate from Thursday morning.

Intercity trains will continue to leave from Sitakunda station until the direct rail link can be restored with the city which has been cut off as a bridge along with a vast portion of railway tracks was washed away at Kumira on Tuesday.

Suspension of direct movement of trains between Dhaka and Chittagong is likely to hamper external trade as delivery of containers laden with consignments to and from the port will be delayed, shippers said.

More than 100 containers stuffed with cargo move on both the ways between Chittagong port and Inland Container Depots in Dhaka, port officials said.

Railway officials said it would take at least 15 days to restore direct rail link between Chittagong and rest of the country.

However, the railway authorities have provided trains to carry passengers between Chittagong and Kumira, and also between Kumira and Sitakunda so that commuters can walk from a carriage to another to maintain their desired movement.

Following the new arrangement by the authorities most of the passengers were seen travelling to Sitakunda from Chittagong on Thursday to avail Dhaka and Sylhet bound trains.

Meanwhile, the search operations for retrieving bodies from debris have been stopped after rescuers had pulled out 11 more bodies from under the mud in Chittagong and Cox's Bazar districts, raising the official death toll to 110.

Members of Bangladesh Fire Service, Bangladesh army, Border Guard of Bangladesh, police and Rapid Action Battalion took part in relentless search for bodies and in evacuation of trapped people from disaster hit areas since Tuesday night.

"The search has been stopped and the bereaved families given succour and financial help to bury the bodies of their near and dear ones," a spokesman of the ministry of food and disaster management (MoFDM) said on Thursday.

Rescuers retrieved 41 bodies from different spots in Cox's Bazar district, 36 in Bandarban district and 31 from Chittagong district, mainly in the port city. Three bodies were also recovered in northeastern divisional city of Sylhet.

There was no much rainfall in the disaster- hit regions over the last 24 hours, improving water logging situation caused by the rain-driven flash floods in the affected areas.

However, the Mathamuhuri, Sangu and Bakkali rivers were still flowing in torrents overflowing and tearing banks on several spots in Bandarban and Cox's Bazar districts, officials said on Thursday.

Surma and Kangsha in the Sylhet region were also flowing over their respective danger levels, despite the rivers fell slightly over the last 24 hours, said flood forecasting and warning centre.

But the Kushiyara river rose further over its respective danger level in the period threatening situation to worsen further in the next 24 hours.

Chittagong city has been a victim of water logging since late 1970s, after people started leveling hills to expand their housing facilities. The leveling of hills is still continuing by vested quarters due to non- implementation of environmental rules, according to local people.

Every year the city corporation spends billions of taka for excavating Chaktai canal, the main outlet of rain water. But mudslides again silt up the canal, they said.

"The mudslide will continue as long as leveling of hills goes on," said Syed Golam Haidar Mintu, chairman of Cawkbazar ward, one of the most affected areas of water logging in Chittagong city.

"We will have to face such water logging every year as we have destroyed the natural system beyond repair," Mintu said.

Levelling of hills continuing unabated not only in and around the city, but across the whole region in Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Chittagong Hill Tracts, environmentalists in Chittagong alleged.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=134786&d...

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India:

 

Assam floods: 35 dead, 11 lakh stranded

The flood situation in Assam continued to be grim with four more deaths in different areas of the state taking the toll to 35 even as the water level in some of the rivers have started receding, official sources said.

A mahout died after he was attacked by a wild elephant in the flood waters on Saturday morning in the Kaziranga National Park, which has been completely inundated by the water of river Brahmaputra.

Two persons, including a one-year-old baby, were drowned in Goalpara district late Friday evening.

In Cachar district, a teenager drowned on Saturday morning, the sources said.

Around 11 lakh people in 2,084 villages in 22 districts are in the grip of the worst floods since 2004, the sources said.

Stating 173 relief camps have so far been set up for the succour of the flood victims, the sources said, the deluge has destroyed standing crops in over 43,400 hectares.

Congress President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi [ Images ] is likely to visit the state soon to take stock of the latest flood situation.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhubaneshwar Kalita, who met Gandhi at New Delhi [ Images ] on Thursday, said he briefed Gandhi about the latest situation and she expressed the desire to visit the state soon.

In Majuli, Asia's largest river island, the National Disaster Response Force (NDFR) have been continuing rescue and relief operations.

Over one lakh people in Majuli have taken shelter on embankments. A 10-member team of doctors from Jorhat have left for Majuli, which has been cut-off from the rest of the world for the last three days after ferry services to Nimatighat were suspended.

A CRPF camp in the island was evacuated after water threatened Majuli with several Satras (Vaishnative monasteries) coming under water.

A heard of elephants have taken shelter on sand banks in the north-eastern side of the island.

In Jorhat, over hundred villages remained under water in Nimatighat, Janjimukh and other areas. State PWD minister Ajanta Neog visited the places on Saturday.

In Dibrugarh, villages in Rohmoria and Chabua remained inundated, while the worst affected Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts, large areas in Jonai, Dhakuwakhana and Machkhowa among others continuing to reel under the swirling flood waters.

The situation in central Assam's Morigaon and Nagaon districts, where the Brahmaputra and its tributaries Kolong, Kapili and Kiling are showing a steady trend, also remained grave.

In Kaziranga, wild elephants and rhinos fleeing from the rising water have created panic on the National Highway 37 and nearby villages.

In south Assam's Barak Valley, parts of Lakhipur and several nearby villages have been flooded. More than 30,000 inhabitants of these areas have been shifted to safer places for shelter, the sources said.

Flood situation in the Katigorah constituency of Cachar, bordering Bangladesh, shows some signs of improvement with the receding level of Surma, Baleswar and Gumra rivers.

A report from the border area says the BSF camp at Pirnagar has been inundated by Surma forcing the jawans to shift.

While Brahmaputra in many places continued its rising trend, other rivers have started receding in some places. including the Subansiri in Bodotighat, the Dikhow in Sibsagar, Desang in Nanglamuraghat and the Dhansiri in Golaghat.

http://www.rediff.com/news/report/assam-floods-35-dead-11-lakh-stra...

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[KM]

Thank you Stanislav for gathering all this information!