Sylhet neighbourhoods flooded as Kushiara River water breaches dam

Unrelenting rain and flash floods have broken through the embankment of the Kushiara River in Sylhet’s Jakiganj, streaming into surrounding areas.

The embankment, locally known as Daik, was breached at Rarai village at 2:30am, at Bakharkhal village in the early morning and Loharmahal village at 8am on Monday.

Jakiganj Upazila Executive Officer Md Mahbubur Rahman said, “The water of the Kushiara River is flowing 2 metres above the danger level. Hence, it is entering the area by passing over the Dike. The Water Development Board is placing sandbags on the Dike. They will be able to say how many dikes have been damaged.”

When asked how many villages have been flooded, he said: “The exact information cannot be given right now. The administration is monitoring the situation continuously. Preparations are under way to evacuate people from flood-hit areas to safe shelters. [Flood] Shelters have been opened.”

Locals fear the risk of flooding in 25 to 30 villages around the three places of the Dike on the banks of the Kushiara River. Also, the water of the Kushiara River is entering the city over the Dike at Kesari village. Part of the Dike at Maijkandi village has collapsed into the river.

Water is entering the localities over the Dike in more than 50 places, including Chhabria, Senapatirchak in Jakiganj Union, Ichapur in Sultanpur union, several places in Khalachhara union, Pillakandi and Amalshid in Barthakuri union. Locals are trying their best to protect the Dike by dumping sandbags.

Locals in the riverbank areas complain that Jakiganj is being flooded repeatedly because no effective steps were taken before the flood situation arose. Although the water level in the river has increased since Sunday, no one from the WDB paid any heed to it. Despite repeated requests for bags, those are never received.

Sylhet WDB Executive Engineer Deepak Ranjan Das said that the water of the Surma and Kushiara rivers crossed the danger level at four points. However, water from other rivers has yet to cross the danger level.

In Jakiganj, the water of the Kushiara River is flowing two metres above the danger level, causing it to enter the locality through a 7-8km stretch along the riverbank. The WDB is trying to stop the water from entering by using sacks, he said.

Sylhet Meteorological Department Assistant Meteorologist Shah Md Sajeeb Hossain said that Sylhet saw 32mm rainfall in the last 24 hours.

Earlier, 404.8mm rainfall was recorded in the last 24 hours, the maximum rainfall this year. However, more rain is expected, he said.