Over 100 villages submerged in flood-hit B'desh

Flood situation in Bangladesh worsened as over 100 villages have been submerged after gushing waters washed away a portion of an embankment on Jamuna river in the country's northwest, affecting over one lakh people.

Onrush of water in the Jamuna river damaged around 400-metre portion of the embankment at Sariakandi in Bogra region last night, inundating hundreds of houses.

"Out of over 100 villages, 50 are worst hit where the floodwaters washed away rural roads and standing crops alongside the households and other structures," a district administration official said.

Over one lakh people were forced to take refuge on rooftops or abandoned from their homes, officials said.
     
Authorities have launched rescue efforts and hundreds of flood-affected people have been shifted to makeshift shelters.

All major rivers except the Ganges were flowing above danger mark and new areas of the central parts of the country, including the capital, are likely to be flooded in a day or two, according to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC).

"The level receded below the danger level in two centres earlier this morning in the upstream regions of the Jamuna (in Bangladesh) but the other rivers continue to swell," a FFWC spokesman said.

Some low-lying areas around the capital are already under water. The situation in the city may worsen in the next two days as rivers surrounding the capital may swell further, an FFWC bulletin said.

The flood hit the north, northwestern and central parts of Bangladesh two weeks ago affecting nearly one million people in 19 out of 64 districts across the country with the deluge marooning them in some places for nearly two weeks.

Many of these people have little or no food, drinking water and sanitation facilities.

The flood threatened road communication of the capital Dhaka with major industrial city of Khulna and coastal Barisal in southwestern region.