Floods devastate Cumilla’s Burichang Upazila, maroon thousands without food, water

Incessant rainfall and mountain runoffs from India have submerged Cumilla’s Burichang Upazila after breaking the protective dams of the Gomti River.

People of at least nine unions of the Upazila are marooned and in dire straits due to a lack of drinking water and food.

According to officials of the Water Development Board, the neighbouring Brahmanpara Upazila and Brahmanbaria’s Kasba Upazila may also be flooded due to the onrush of water.

In addition to the army, local volunteer organisations are conducting rescue operations to take people to safety.

On Friday, Khan Mohammad Waliuzzaman, the executive engineer of Cumilla Water Development Board, told bdnews24.com: “Since Thursday evening, water has been seeping through the protective dams in the Burburia area. Later, the locals tried to bring the situation under control by placing sandbags.”

“Around 12:30am, the dams broke and water made its way into the locality. At least 30 feet of the embankment has broken. The dams cannot be repaired until the water level of the river goes down. If the river water does not recede, new areas will continue to flood.”

According to Khan, the Gomti River was flowing 109cm above the danger limit until 3pm on Friday.

“On Thursday, the water of the Gomti River was 134cm above the danger limit. The water has receded a bit. However, the dams are at risk. We are trying to ensure that the dams don’t break elsewhere.”

The WDB official also said that in 1997, the Gomti River flowed 96cm above the danger limit. However, the rise in water levels in the last two days has broken all previous records.

Burichang Upazila chief executive or UNO Shahida Akhter told bdnews24.com that there was no use counting villages and unions separately now.

“The entire Burichang Upazila is underwater. The water levels continue to rise due to the strong currents. If this continues, surrounding areas will also be inundated.”

“We have asked people to seek refuge in the flood shelters amid fears of the dams collapsing,” she added. “Many have already moved to the shelters. We are working to rescue those trapped due to the floodwaters.”

“NEVER SEEN SO MUCH WATER IN GOMTI BEFORE”

Locals say the floodwater made its way into the locality after the dams of the Gomti River broke around 11:45pm on Thursday. By 2pm on Friday, the entire Upazila was underwater.

Thousands are stranded as the floodwater has now entered nearby areas.

Golam Kibria, a senior journalist residing in Cumilla’s Burichang, says rescuing people from the floods should be the top priority at the moment.

He told bdnews24.com: “Currently, there is neck-deep water in Burburiya. The entire village is under water. The fishes have been washed away by the floodwater. People are suffering. Never before have I seen so much water in Gomti.”

Selim Reza Shourav, the principal of Burichang’s Sonar Bangla College, said: “The water is rushing in. Our college is one of the flood shelters. People are being asked to take shelter here.”

A resident of the Upazila’s Gazipur area, Salma Haque, told bdnews24.com: “We have kept all the goods on the rooftop. The floodwater is rising. I am taking preparations to move to Cumilla city with my mother. But road communications have been suspended as the Burichang-Brahmanpara road has gone underwater. I am suffering a lot. All the houses in the area are underwater.”

The children and the elderly have been suffering a lot due to food shortage at the shelters.

Per reports, around 500 people took shelter in Burichang’s Mahishmara High School until Friday morning. None of those present at the shelter have taken any food or medicine since.

On Friday, Rashid Ahmed, the principal of Mahishmara High School, told bdnews24.com: “We have informed the volunteers about the food crisis. But they themselves are busy with their families as they are in danger.”

“Around 500 people have taken shelter here. The children are crying. There is no way out as the ground floor of the school is underwater.”