Online Desk  :   At least 29 lakh people have been marooned by floods across eight districts and five deaths were reported in different districts. KM Ali Reza, additional secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, shared the information at a press conference at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon. Among the deceased, three people died after being washed away by the flood water in Ramu upazila of Cox’s Bazar, two others — one in Feni and another in Brahmanbaria — died as torrential rains continue to wreak havoc across several districts.

Ali Reza said the ongoing floods have impacted 357 unions across eight districts, leaving more than 4, 40, 840 families stranded in floodwater. A total of 1,534 shelter centres have been opened and a total of 75, 668 people and 7, 459 livestock were given shelter.

Water levels in eight rivers of the northeastern and eastern regions of the country are flowing above the danger level, worsening the flood situation in eight districts on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, the local meteorological departments predicted that moderate to heavy rainfall in the next 48 hours in the northeastern part of the country and upstream areas. That could lead the water levels in the main rivers of the northeastern and eastern regions rise.

The ministry report also mentioned that 160 army personnel and 40 salvage vessels, 71 Navy personnel and eight salvage vessels were sent to the flood-hit areas to rescue the trapped people. Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has cancelled the leaves of officials and employees in flood-hit districts. They have been instructed to perform their duties at their respective workplaces, WDB said in a press release on Wednesday night.

Additionally, the Posts and Telecommunications Ministry on Thursday said the leave of the officials and employees of the offices and agencies under the Department of Posts and Telecommunications in Feni, Cumilla and other areas to maintain constant contact with the people and repair the damaged towers.

In Lakshmipur: About six lakh people are stranded in district due to incessant rains and tidal water of the Meghna River.According to Lakshmipur Deputy Commissioner Suraia Jahan, flooding has been reported in Laxmipur Sadar, Ramgati, Kamalnagar, Raipur and Ramganj as of on Thursday (August 22) morning. The upazila administrations of the district are removing the illegal dam of the canal with the help of the locals to solve the waterlogging. Apart from this, the administration continues to distribute dry food for water prisoners.

In Khagrachhari: the flood situation in the district worsened on Thursday due to the incessant rainfall and runoff from the hills inundated towns, villages, and roads. According to the Khagrachhari Weather Observation Center, 152 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in the district in the last 24 hours till 6am Thursday.

In Chattogram: Various areas and lower parts in the city have been submerged due to the continuous rain that has started from late night on Thursday. Road communication is being disrupted due to rising water on the roads. The city’s Chawkbazar, Muradpur, Bahaddarhat, Badurtala, Shulkabahar, Mohammadpur, Kapasgola, Katalganj, Bakalia, Chandgaon, Agrabad CDA residential area, Zakir Hossain Road, Pravartak Mor, DC Road, Halishahar Wapda, Chaktai-Khatunganj, Kalarpole, Boropole, Halishahar were waterlogged.

Apart from low-lying areas in Chattogram, knee-to-waist water was seen on roads in various areas. This has caused extreme suffering to the workplace-oriented employees and the common people who go out for daily work. Local meteorological department said 141.8 mm of rainfall has been recorded in Chattogram in the last 24 hours and it predicted that the rain will continue for at least another 48 hours.

Heavy rain inundates Ctg, fear of landslides Besides, a landslide warning has also been issued. According to Hill Management Committee, there are 6,558 vulnerable settlements in 26 hills of the city. Families are living there with the risk of landslides in mind. They are yet to be evacuated to a safe haven.

Train services of Ctg, Feni, Cumilla suspended  : Meanwhile, the rail communication of Chattogram with other parts of the country has been suspended as the flood situation worsened. The rail line from Feni to Fazilpur went under water and after 12noon on Thursday, the train services of Chattogram with Cumilla has been suspended following damage of Cumilla rail line.

Dhaka-Ctg highway submerged in Cumilla : Traffic on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway was disrupted after Cumilla’s Chauddagram Sadar upazila was inundated by floodwater early Thursday. The flood situation of the district has deteriorated further due to heavy rains and onrush of water from India.