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Despite a decline in rainfall, the flood situation in Feni deteriorated further as vast areas of Chhagalnaiya and Sadar upazila inundated on Thursday apart from Parshuram and Fulgazi.
Though river-water levels dropped slightly, fresh areas went under water on the day.
Following the inundation of new areas, more people were taking shelter in flood centers.
However, shortage of dry foods and clean drinking water put the people in the flood shelters in dire straits, it was learnt.
According to district met office, Feni district witnessed 50.5mm of rain between Wednesday noon and Thursday noon, which was less than the previous two days.
However, the Feni-Parshuram regional road remains underwater and road communication between Feni Sadar and the upazilas of Fulghazi and Parshuram remained cut off as a result of it.
Md Mojibur Rahman, the acting officer of Feni met Office, said rainfall has decreased compared to the past two days, which may help improve the situation.
Until Thursday noon, water in the Muhuri River was flowing below danger level.
The danger mark for the river is 12.55 cm while the water level dropped to 10.55 cm.
The river water was decreasing due to less rainfall and reduced water flow from upstream in India, said Md Abul Kashem, a sub-divisional engineer of the Feni Water Development Board.
According to district administration sources, in the past three days, embankments in 20 spots along the Muhuri, Kahua, and Silonia rivers broke in Fulghazi and Parshuram, flooding 27 villages.
Of them, 12 embankment points collapsed in Parshuram and 8 in Fulghazi.
Although the flood water had started receding in Fulghazi and Parshuram, new areas in Chhagalnaiya and Feni Sadar were getting flooded.
As a safety measure, electricity was cut off in the flood-hit two upazilas, leaving about 31,000 people without power until Wednesday night.
Power supply was being gradually restored from Thursday morning.
Although the administration reported that some 27 villages in two upazilas were flooded, local residents claimed that more than 50 villages in four upazilas have been affected.
Talking to the FE, Feni District Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) Secretary Morshed Alam Milon said until Thursday noon, flood water submerged over 50 villages in Fulghazi, Parshuram, Feni Sadar, and Chhagalnaiya.
More than 50,000 people in these areas still remained stranded due to floodwaters, he said, adding that his party started relief works as soon as the flood began.
He claimed that the administration's inordinate delay in beginning relief operations put the flood-affected people in a peril.
He urged the government to intensify relief efforts to prevent any possible disaster.
Ismail Hossain, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) of Feni, said some parts of Fulghazi, Parshuram, and Feni Sadar were submerged by floodwaters Wednesday night, affecting around 19,560 people.
About 5,776 people from 1,593 families were staying in 48 shelter centres across the three upazilas of Feni district.
More people were rushing to the shelters until Thursday despite having scarcity of dry food and safe drinking water in most of the shelters.
Many of the flood shelters lack proper toilets/sanitation and drainage facilities, it was learnt.
Around 100 families have taken refuge in Fulgazi's Ali Azam High School and the nearby 'madrasa.
Many affected people have gone without food since last night, sources said, adding that some families even set up makeshift stoves inside classrooms to cook for themselves.
Asked about this, Deputy Commissioner Saiful Islam said the Upazila administrations were distributing relief items everywhere.
If any area hasn't received aid yet, they will send help soon, he added.
Meanwhile, from Thursday, several army teams started rescue operations in waterlogged villages of Fulghazi.
A 139-member unit from the 15 Support Battalion of the Army's 33rd Infantry Division has started rescue and relief work.
They brought more than a thousand packets of dry foods for distribution.
Major Mohammad Rashedul Hasan, who is leading the army team, said the rescue and relief operations officially began Thursday noon.
Using 10 speedboats and several small boats, the army men were rescuing trapped people from remote areas.
He said they will continue their operations as long as needed.
Meanwhile, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has also been distributing cooked foods in flood-affected areas since Wednesday night.
BGB members were also seen handing out foods Thursday morning in different parts of Fulghazi.
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